Volunteer Angel
by GrandmaCleverboots
Summary: This is a story of recurring destiny. Kurt applies to be a Volunteer Angel at a nursing home after he loses his mother and grandmother. He hears someone singing and although he has never heard the song, he knows all the words. Things get stranger as Kurt gets closer to the old man until one day when he is at an all-time low, something amazing comes into his life.
1. Chapter 1 - Mother

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter One – Mother**

**St Mary's Ohio – Winter 2001**

"Yes, but I could use the help," Burt Hummel said into the phone to his mother-in-law. "I hate to ask, but I have to be at work for most of the day and I'm afraid she can't cope with Kurt for that long. Okay, Mother. Yes, I'll come get you, sure. I'll be there Saturday morning," Burt sighed into the phone, closing his eyes. It had taken everything in him to ask for help, but his back was against the wall and he had finally admitted to himself that there was no alternative. His wife, Elizabeth, had Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and there was no cure.

It was arranged now with Elizabeth's mother. She would come and help him with Elizabeth and Kurt. He stood up from the table, hanging up the phone and getting his jacket on. He had to pick Kurt up from school in fifteen minutes and he didn't want to be late again. He couldn't face seeing Kurt worried that he wouldn't be there for him.

"Hey, Kiddo!" Burt greeted his little son, walking over to where Kurt sat on the bench facing the playground.

"Daddy!" Kurt exclaimed. His mop of chestnut hair was just the shade of Burt's own hair. He had a small spatter of freckles across his little pug nose and his wide smile could light up his face. Kurt was a little on the small side for a seven-year-old, but Burt figured he would hit a growth spurt in the next few years and shoot up. Both he and Kurt's mom were tall people.

"What did you learn in school today?" Burt asked. He asked the same thing every day because Kurt loved to tell him all about his day and it was better than the days when he had to tell Kurt more bad news about his mother.

"We are starting fractions in math. I got it right away, so Mrs. Harper put me with Roger so I could help him. He has trouble in math. Then he watches out for me on the playground so I don't get pushed down on the blacktop," Kurt explained.

"You get pushed down on the blacktop?" Burt asked his son, a frown wrinkling his face.

"Not any more. I used to when we played four-square. The older boys bounce the ball too hard and then I can't catch it to bounce it for the next guy. Ronnie and Grant pushed me over and I skinned my knee last week. Today when we were playing, Roger told them to leave me alone," Kurt elaborated.

"That was nice of Roger," Burt said, not sure of what else to say. Kurt had to find his own way at school without having his parents interfere. Burt knew that from grim experience last year. He had stormed into the principal's office when someone had pushed Kurt down in the hall and sprained his wrist. The kid did it was suspended for three days, but the harassment of Kurt in retaliation lasted months.

"Who's this Roger kid? I haven't heard you mention him before," Burt inquired. He thought he probably knew just about everyone in the small town of St. Mary's, but this name didn't sound familiar.

"Fuller. Roger Fuller. He's new. He used to go to Frederick Douglas elementary, but he got thrown out, so now he goes to Roosevelt with me. They have a bus for those kids...Belinda is the new girl that rides the bus with Roger," Kurt told his dad.

"Okay, buddy. So, everything else was good today?" Burt asked. Oh, so these were some of the kids being bussed from nearby Celina when their elementary school was flood damaged. He turned his attention back to Kurt, who was still talking about his day.

"Yeah, I guess so. I was tired after lunch and Mrs. Harper let me go to the nurse. She told me to lie on the cot, and I fell asleep for a while, then I got up and went back to class. It was okay because I was a chapter ahead in reading anyway. I was bored yesterday and read the next chapter," Kurt explained to his dad.

"I'm glad you like to read. You can be anything you want to be if you have a library card," Burt quoted.

"Mommy says that," he said, smiling.

"Yes, she does. And she's right. Okay, we're almost home. Remember what we've been talking about, Kurt?"

"Yes, Daddy. I must be quiet and walk slowly in the house. I must let Mommy sleep. I have to be careful when I get on her lap. I bermember, Daddy. I'm a good boy," Kurt assured his father, a sweet smile on his face as he thought about his mother.

"The word is _Re_member, with an 'R' sound, not _Be_-member," Burt corrected and Kurt tried out the word several times.

"Okay, I _RE_-member the rules. Daddy, can I have a dog? Rachel has a cat. It's name is Sheila, and Noah told me today he has a dog named Saw. That's a funny name, isn't it? Maybe he can get another one and name it Hammer. He said his dog is smart and can catch a Frisbee. That sounds like fun, doesn't it? To throw a Frisbee to a dog?" Kurt chattered on. Burt tried to answer as fast as possible, but Kurt had moved on in the conversation by the time Burt had formed the words to hold up his end.

"We're home!" Kurt crowed, anxious to see his mother.

He got out of the truck, stopped and took three deep breaths just like his dad had been telling him. He closed his eyes and stood very still. He could feel his heart beat, just like Daddy said. It was not going too fast like Mommy's did sometimes. Kurt walked in the back door because his dad had parked in the garage after turning down the alley. Kurt didn't like to walk down the alley – there were some very scary dogs at the end of the block. They were behind a high fence, but Kurt had several dreams where the dogs jumped the fence and chased him.

Kurt entered the house, stepping quietly and removing his shoes in the mud room before stepping into the kitchen. He went straight to the refrigerator, looking for the fruit plate he had made for his mother that morning before school. She hadn't even touched it. He took it out, removed the plastic wrap, and then poured her a glass of milk. Taking both things in his hands, he went up the stairs to see his mom.

As he reached her door, Kurt could hear his father in the room, too. He hoped his mother was awake. If she wasn't, then Kurt would lie on the bed next to her for a while. Sometimes he fell asleep and she would kiss his cheek to wake him for supper.

He knocked with the toe of his shoe and his dad opened the door.

"Kurt!" his mother said in her quiet voice, but he could hear that she was excited to see him.

"Hi, Mommy," Kurt said, walking slowly with the glass of milk and the plate of fruit. He set the plate on the bed and the glass on the table near enough for her to reach. "Can I climb up next to you?"

"Of course, baby. Burt, would you give him a hand?"

Daddy reached over and boosted Kurt up on the bed beside his mother. The little boy slipped off his shoes and got under the covers next to her, leaning back on the pillows.

"Oh, you brought me my favorite fruit plate. Look! Slices of nectarines, red grapes, are these apples from our tree? Thank you, sweetie," she cooed at him, a smile on her lips as she took a strawberry and put it in her mouth. "Oh, this one was from our garden, wasn't it? I can tell by how sweet it is," she said. Kurt grinned. His mother could always tell when the fruit came from their garden.

Burt left the room, making his way downstairs to the locked cabinet that contained Elizabeth's medication. He put the little pills in a cup and locked the door behind himself, then brought it to her.

"Thank you, Burt dear," she smiled at her husband, taking the cupful of pills and washing them down with the milk.

"Are you tired, Mommy?" Kurt asked.

"Not too tired. I was hoping I could read a book with somebody. What do you think?"

"I would read with you!" Kurt offered. He loved to read books with his mother. "Which one?"

Elizabeth thought for a moment. "I have it down to three books and I can't decide which one. Either The Egypt Game, King of the Wind, or The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," she grinned, already knowing which one he would pick.

"The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, please," he said with enthusiasm. They were at the part where Edward was riding in the sleigh with the Evil Queen and Kurt had looked up exactly what Turkish Delight was at the school library today. He was excited to tell her about it and maybe ask if they could make some. The article came with a recipe.

Burt grinned at the two of them, then ruffled Kurt's hair.

"I'm going down to see about making supper. You guys read and in a few hours it will all be ready," Burt smiled. He left the room, hoping Kurt would remember these good times in the days to come. The trip to the doctor that morning hadn't brought good news. The beta-blockers that they thought might lengthen Elizabeth's life weren't working, so the doctor had switched her to calcium channel blockers and increased the diuretics. It just didn't look good.

"And we could maybe make a few kinds! Turkish Delight can be lemon or orange and sometimes they make it taste like roses. I like roses, they smell good, but I never wanted to eat one. Sometimes they put nuts in the candy, but I don't want nuts. Unless you want them, Mommy. I would make Turkish Delight for you with nuts...pecans or pistachios? Then it had jello, but not the flavored kind. Are you asleep, Mommy?" Kurt finally asked, getting no response from his mother.

He looked over and saw her eyes were closed, then he studied how she was breathing. He didn't know what he would do if she stopped breathing, but he saw his father check it all the time. Her chest went up and down, faster than his did but that was usual. He pulled the sheet up over her shoulder and kissed her cheek.

"Sleep safe, Mommy, my love will protect you," he whispered, using the phrase she said to him every night. He slid off the bed and walked back downstairs to see if he could help his dad.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Got everything you need?" Burt asked his son. They were loading the truck to go get Kurt's grandmother. Burt had explained to Kurt that Grandma Reenie was going to be living with them for a while to help him take care of Mommy. Burt would go down to Kettering, just south of Dayton, where his mother-in-law, Maureen O'Bannon Whelan, lived and pick her up, bringing her back to the tiny town of St. Mary's to live with them for a while. Burt liked her well enough, she was a feisty woman that came to America as a young child from Kilkenny, Ireland, and eventually married another Irish immigrant, Brian Whelan. Brian had passed away not long after Elizabeth and Burt got married, a year before Kurt had been born.

Kurt loved his grandmother, even though he rarely saw her, but Burt had hope they might become closer now.

"Ready?" he asked Kurt again, this time getting his attention.

"Yes, Daddy," Kurt smiled. "I need to go kiss Mommy goodbye."

"Sure, son. Make sure you use the restroom before you come back out, it's a little over an hour away and I want to get to Dayton before we stop for lunch if I can," he said.

Kurt ran back inside, remembered to be quiet, and walked slowly up the stairs. The nurse lady that came to take care of Mommy was here to watch over her until they got back this afternoon with Grandma. Kurt smiled at her before climbing on the bed to say goodbye.

"We're going to bring Grandma back," Kurt said softly, running his hand down Mommy's long, long red hair. It was soft and shiny today and it wasn't in a braid yet. Mrs McLaren, the nurse, was going to wash Mommy's hair while they were gone.

"You know, Grandma Reenie used to have hair redder than mine," Mommy said and Kurt grinned. He wished his was red, but Mommy said it was more like his Dad's, a fiery chestnut that got lighter streaks in the sunshine.

"I love you," Kurt said, kissing her on her soft cheek.

"I love you, too, Little Bit," she said, then gave him a big smile and closed her eyes. She was so tired.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Ready!" Kurt announced as he climbed into the truck beside his dad. Burt patted his leg and leaned over to kiss the top of his head.

"Now, you watch the map here," he told Kurt, pointing to where St. Mary's was on the map, "And tell me when we pass through all the towns. You'll need to read the road signs. Which one is after St. Mary's?"

Kurt studied the map. He had drawn a red circle around Kettering last night when they looked at the map, so he led his finger down the red and yellow line that meant a road. He looked closely and sounded out the letters of the name of the next town.

"New Breman?"

"Yes! See, I told you that you could be the navigator!" Burt enthused, hoping to get his son's mind off of the troubles at home.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Reenie Whelan sat on her front porch, looking down the road to see if Burt was anywhere in sight. It was a bit early, but he tended to be early most times. Must be all that German blood, she chuckled. She loved to tease the man who said, "I'm a Human...anything else is just an accident of circumstances", which never failed to make her think she was too vocal in her praise of her homeland, her church, even her name.

She loved living in Ohio, but she had never been back to the Emerald Isle since she was a small girl and her dreams were filled with pictures of the green, lush land of her early childhood. Ireland lived in her heart, even if she didn't remember much more than the sea of green hills rushing down to the sapphire-blue harbor and nights sleeping in her bed in the cottage loft with the smell of peat fire in her nose.

She shook herself out of the daydream when the neighbor's dog started to bark, opening her eyes to the sight of her grandson stepping down from Burt's truck.

"Kurt!" she called out, struggling to get up from the chair. She had known it would be hard to stand up from, but sat in it anyway and now she was paying for her act of defiance. She smiled to herself for a moment before taking in her grandson.

"Grandma!" Kurt called out, so glad to finally get to her house. It seemed like a ten-hour trip because he forgot to bring his radio to listen to music. The truck's radio had been broken for years.

"Kurt, my sweet child. Come give Granny some sugar," she said in her beautiful Irish lilt and Kurt put his arms gently around her neck and kissed her cheek.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Kurt just about talked Grandma Reenie's ear right off on the way home. No amount of Burt trying to reign in his son was working as Kurt talked non-stop to his grandmother. He told her about school and the classroom pets, about the boy, Roger, he helped with math. He told her probably his life story, even though she knew all about it already, he was able to make her laugh with delight when he got serious about his love for books and painting and music.

They settled Grandma into her new room, which had once been Burt's den and held all of his trophies from High School sports, his fishing rod and fly-tying kit, his stacks of Popular Mechanics magazines that were filled with little slips of paper to bookmark projects he wanted to try but never found time to do. All of these things had been boxed and packed away in the basement storage room or the attic for one day in the future when they would be useful once again.

Kurt had tried to help his dad fix up the room. His dad had no sense of what matched with what and tended to mix flowered designs with plaid, jewel tones with baby pastels, and mismatched wood so the furniture looked like he bought it from a second-hand thrift store. Which he did. But even at the tender age of seven, Kurt had an inborn sense of balance and color that Burt would never understand and he allowed Kurt to pick the decorations for the room.

He must have done a fair job of it because Grandma Reenie's face broke out in a smile that out-shined the sun when she stepped into the room. It was not overly big, but enough for her bed, sewing table, a few chairs and things to make it homey.

"Did you help with this, Kurt?" she asked.

"Yes, Ma'am," he answered. His parents made certain he had good manners and Kurt enjoyed letting his grandmother know he could be polite for her.

"It is just perfect, sweetheart. Just perfect," she said, walking over to touch the fabric of the white eyelet lace curtains and sweep her hand over the little rosewood table by the bed. Her eyes watered a bit when she saw the oil painting of The Kells Abbey near her childhood home in Kilkenny.

"I know Mommy wanted to see you right away, Grandma. Can I take you up to her room?" Kurt offered.

"Oh, yes, of course. Thank you," she said, taking a deep breath. It was so hard for her to see her darling Elizabeth so sick, but Reenie was made of strong stuff and she was determined to show Kurt how to be strong for Elizabeth. She held out her weathered old hand and Kurt took it in his own little hand and led her up the stairs.

"Mam!" Elizabeth cried as she saw her mother enter the room with Kurt. She held out her arms to receive a kiss from her mother.

"My little darling," Reenie said, pulling a chair close to the bed and taking her daughter's hand. "Now, tell me how you're doing."

Kurt snuggled under the covers with his mother, falling asleep with his arms around her neck as she talked with Grandma Reenie.


	2. Chapter 2 - Andy

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Two – Andy**

**Westerville, Ohio - 1965**

"Andy?" the man said, looking at his brother skeptically. "Why Andy?"

"Because between Grandpa, Dad, me, and no less than two cousins, there are too many people in this family with the same first name, that's why. So I just made a riff on our last name – all the guys call me that, anyway."

TC tilted his head, said the name to himself a few times, and smiled at his little brother. Even though he was almost 33 years old, Blaine – or 'Andy' as he was calling himself now, had not really grown up in so many senses of the word. He was still not married, still playing around writing songs instead of looking for a new job after quitting the bank last week. He just seemed lost in so many ways.

"All right. I can think of much worse things to call yourself, I guess," TC said, then patted his brother on the back and went to the kitchen to get something to drink.

Andy sat in the big wicker chair, cross-legged and holding his guitar. He had a lot of thinking to do concerning his life, but none of it seemed important right now as he grabbed the pencil from behind his ear and scratched down a few lyrics before taking the instrument up again. He plucked the notes instead of strumming in order to hear a certain quality, did it several times and finally allowed a smile to reappear.

He hummed a bit of the tune and then said a few of the words to himself, strumming the new arrangement of the notes: _"And the wind will whisper your name to me..." _he sang low, then changed the second and third note back again and sang it. It hit some sort of inner chord with him because he set the guitar down again and gathered the paper he had drawn a music staff on and erased some notes, drawing in the new ones.

"I'm out of here, Andy," TC shouted to him from the kitchen. "Let me know when you need my help moving your boxes, I can borrow a truck from a friend, okay?" TC called into his brother's bedroom, but Andy was so into his music, he didn't hear.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

_**A few days later...**_

"Andy!"

Andy turned his head, not expecting anyone to be out here in his backyard at this time of night.

"Hey, Buddy. What are you doing, sitting here? Why didn't you just come up and knock on my door?" he asked the tall man who was sitting on a bench on his patio.

"I knew you'd be out here sooner or later, and you know how your folks are about me coming around too much," he said, hanging his head a little.

"That is ridiculous. They love you. Who taught my mom how to make crab-cheese puffs? Every member of her bridge club would kill to have the recipe! You single-handedly made her a legend," Andy laughed, putting a hand on his friend's knee as he sat down beside him.

"Well..." Buddy blushed.

"Hey, want to hear my new song?" Andy asked, a little nervous because he had written the song for Buddy, he was just not sure if the man knew why. They had been close friends for a long time, and Andy had been in love with him for most of that. He knew Buddy felt something for him – they were practically inseparable after all – but Andy didn't have the balls to just go ahead and say it.

"Sure, Andy, I'd love to hear it," Buddy said, smiling. He loved Andy's voice. Actaully, he loved Andy, but was too shy to say so.

"My folks aren't home anyway, they went to Newport with my aunt and uncle. I have the place to myself for a whole month, so don't be a stranger!" he called as he went back inside to get his guitar. He'd been sitting in the lounge practicing all evening. He grabbed the instrument and went back to the patio, giving Buddy a quick motion with his head to follow and walked down the path to the gazebo. There were trees all around this part of the garden and fluffy, soft pillows on the wicker furniture. Andy often came out here to sit in the evenings.

"CCAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

Buddy jumped a mile, pushing Andy in back of him as he got between his friend and the danger lurking...oh. Well, shit. It was that damned peacock again. Buddy didn't even want to turn around. The number of times this damn bird had caught him unawares when he'd been visiting Andy could no longer be counted on just his fingers.

Andy stood there for a brief second before he just could not keep it in anymore.

"BBBrrrraaaaHaaahaaaa" he laughed, almost dropping his guitar. He held his belly as he tried in vain to stop, knowing he was going to make Buddy mad. He smirked, trying to catch his breath and get a hold of himself, but the laughter would not be contained.

Buddy was not laughing. He was terribly embarrassed after last time and knew the peacock would win every time. He went over to Andy, removing the guitar from his hand and set it on the edge of the gazebo, then tripped the man, falling on top of him and holding him down on the grass by his wrists. He was sitting on Andy's hips, holding him from twisting out of the hand-grip as they struggled.

"Stop laughing at me!" Buddy said, just wanting it to stop.

Andy stopped.

"Hey, Buddy, you know I don't mean anything by that...Hugo scares everyone. It's his fun in life – to screw with people. I didn't mean anything by it. Really, I'm sorry," Andy apologized. He didn't realize it was so upsetting to Buddy. "Hey, the only reason I don't get scared shitless is because mom's had him since I was fifteen. He used to scare the bejesus out of me on a regular basis," Andy confessed.

Andy became very aware of Buddy sitting on him, their bodies lining up, Buddy's face so close to his as he held Andy's wrists to the ground. He thought of anything to keep Buddy right there.

"Hey, the first time Hugo scared me, it was late at night. That damned peacock was supposed to be in the barn, but he was a master at getting out of his pen. I was walking across the yard and he came up in back of me and pecked me in the back of the leg. It really hurt, and I thought it was a dog or something had bitten me...then he let loose that steam whistle cawing and I peed myself. Honest. I've never told anyone that before, and if you say anything I'll deny it – but, yeah, Hugo made me pee my pants that first time," Andy babbled on, now nervous because he didn't want Buddy to let him go and he was afraid to let him know that.

Finally, Buddy relaxed a little. He was well aware of what was on Andy's mind right now, due to some changes in his anatomy – that sort of matched the changes in his own. Buddy looked down at the man underneath him, at his soft lips and sparkling eyes, and he knew. It was a revelation. Andy felt the same way that he did. Buddy leaned closer, closed his eyes and pressed his lips to Andy's.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Andy sat on the over-sized chaise lounge in the gazebo, his knees just touching Buddy's as they faced each other. After what seemed like hours of kissing on the grass, they had gotten up and brushed themselves off and made their way to the gazebo.

They sat, just looking at each other, neither one of them saying a word. After a while it wasn't even uncomfortable any more, it was good. Andy closed his eyes, thinking. He thought about all the time he had known Buddy – years now. They had met at a state park, both on vacation with their parents. When they realized they were staying at the same motel, they hung around for the two weeks and promised to write. Andy remembered the thrill of opening the first letter, then the attention to detail as he wrote back, and then came the amazing day six whole years after when Blaine answered the doorbell to find Buddy was standing there because his parents had decided to move to Westerville.

"Buddy?" Andy's voice broke the silence of the night.

"Yeah?" he answered, shaking his head to concentrate on what Andy was going to say.

"Do you mind if I sing?"

"I'd love it."

Andy strummed his guitar, hummed to himself for a beat to be sure he remembered the words, and opened his eyes, looking into Buddy's beautiful blue-gray eyes.

"I wrote this for you," he whispered, but Buddy heard him and smiled.

He opened his mouth to sing, hesitated for a moment, and started:

"_I'll walk in the rain by your side  
I'll cling to the warmth of your hand  
I'll do anything to keep you satisfied  
And I'll love you more than anybody can."_

Buddy's eyes opened wide and he stared at Andy, amazed at the words and the music coming from his throat. It was soooo...he didn't know. It was beautiful. He wondered if this was even real tonight.

_"And the wind will whisper your name to me_  
_Little birds will sing along in time_  
_Leaves will bow down when you walk by_  
_And morning bells will chime._

_I'll be there when you're feeling down_  
_To kiss away the tears if you cry_  
_I'll share with you all the happiness I've found_  
_A reflection of the love in your eyes."_

Buddy was leaning forward, afraid he might miss a single word. Was this how Andy felt about him? How could this be true? In all the years Buddy had been in love with Andy, he had never even suspected that Andy felt the same way. It was as if Andy had put his hand down into Buddy's heart and found all of his feelings – and was speaking them back to him._  
_

_"And I'll sing you the songs of the rainbow  
A picture of the joy that is mine  
The leaves will bow down when you walk by  
And morning bells will chime._

_I'll walk in the rain by your side_  
_I'll cling to the warmth of your gentle hand_  
_I'll do anything to help you understand_  
_and I'll love you more than anybody can."_

The tears were running down Buddy's face now, and Andy set the guitar down beside him on the floor of the gazebo.

"You?...You wrote that song?" Buddy managed to ask and Andy nodded his head.

"For you, Babe...for you," Andy said, his voice a mere breath in the light breeze, but the words felt heavy, keeping Buddy on the ground. He was grateful because honestly, he felt like he was going to fly away. He held out a hand to Andy, to his friend, to his other half. To the man he had loved for so long. Andy took it and pulled him into his arms, holding him safe.

* * *

_A/N: "For Baby, For Bobbie" was written by John Denver in 1965 and he always said it was his first and best song. While he went on to write and sing many other chart-toppers over his long career, this has always been my favorite. I hope he wouldn't mind if I borrowed it for my story._


	3. Chapter 3 - Shut-Ins

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Three – Shut-Ins**

**St. Mary's, Ohio - Spring 2002**

"I'll be right there, Grandma," Kurt called from the back yard. He was sitting in the swing his father made him, watching the birds build a new nest in the apple tree. He knew he had to go in and help with dinner, but he didn't want to. He hated to go in the house now. He used to love coming home from school and running up the stairs to see his mother, but now...

"Wipe your shoes, darlin'," Grandma Reenie said as he walked in the back door.

"Yes, Ma'am," Kurt said automatically. He walked to the small sink in the corner of the mud room and washed his hands, wiping them dry on the tea towel that he knew his mother had embroidered. It was a basket of kittens, all holding little grocery bags and underneath was stitched 'Market on Thursday'. He remembered sitting on her bed as she sat propped up, sewing basket to her side. He was allowed to take the long skeins of new thread, in all the bright colors, and wind them carefully onto little pieces of cardboard to keep them neat in the old wooden box with the sliding top.

"You feeling all right, Kurt?" Grandma asked, putting her cool hand on his forehead.

"Just hot from running, I think," he answered, walking over to the drawer in the kitchen to count out the silverware for supper.

As he set the table, he wondered if the house would ever be the same without his mother in it. She had brightened up every day of his life. Even at the end, just after Christmas, when she couldn't sit up in bed any more, she tried to eat the Turkish Delight he and Grandma made her. She smiled at him, running her fingers through his hair and saying "Chestnut...so beautiful..." before her eyes closed in sleep.

It was five days after that she died. She was at home, his dad and grandmother with her. Dad called him into the room, lifting him to the bed and he kissed her cheek one last time. Her eyes opened and she reached her hand to touch him, he met her fingers halfway and that was it. She relaxed into the bed and he could tell by his father's face that she wasn't going to wake up again.

He'd gone to the funeral, walking between his father and grandmother, knowing most of the town was there, but he couldn't say now who he saw. It was all a blur.

Grandma told him that his mother was loved by everyone she ever met, but that wasn't news to him. He and Mommy walked all over town and everyone they met knew Mommy. She was just so wonderful, always a kind word for every person she met. He wondered if he could grow up to be that kind of person, to be someone that loved everyone. Someone that everyone loved.

"Kurt, eat your supper, son. Grandma made it special for you," Burt said, seeing that Kurt was just sitting there, fork halfway from his plate and staring out the window. Kurt nodded at his dad and put the forkful of mashed potatoes in his mouth.

"I got a call from my uncle today," Burt said.

"Arthur? How is he?" Grandma asked.

"He's fine, but his partner decided to move out west somewhere – I think he said Nevada. He wanted to know if I wanted to buy the partner's share in the shop. What do you think?" he asked.

Grandma didn't answer and Kurt looked up to realize his dad had directed the question at him.

"Ahh...where is it?" Kurt asked. He didn't remember his Uncle Arthur's shop in town.

"Lima."

"Where's that?" Kurt asked.

"About half an hour northeast of here," he said.

"We can stay here, right?" Kurt asked, suddenly beginning to panic. He didn't want to leave this house behind.

"I don't know yet, buddy, I'm going to have to go and see Arthur. Nothing is changing right now, so don't worry," Burt tried to calm his son, but underneath Kurt was very afraid.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

**St Mary's, Ohio – Late Summer 2002**

"Kurt, can you go out on the porch and see if I left my shawl on the porch swing?" Grandma Reenie asked. Kurt ran out the front door to check and brought it back in for her.

"Thank you, honey," she said, kissing the top of his head. She folded the shawl neatly and placed it on the arm of the sofa.

"Are we going to church?" Kurt asked.

"It's Sunday, of course we are, what did you think?" she asked.

"Can I wear my shiny shoes?"

"Yes, you can, but hurry. We don't want to be late," she called up the stairs as Kurt's chubby little legs disappeared around the bend in the stairs. They went on to church, Kurt going downstairs to sit in the Sunday school class. He didn't like it, not knowing any of the other children who were all good friends with each other. So he sat still, listened to the teacher, and waited for it to be over before running up the stairs to find his grandmother. He hadn't gone to church before Grandma came.

The family had settled into a sort of schedule now. Kurt was off for another five weeks before school started and he spent most of his days in his backyard, playing quiet games by himself, or in his room reading. He didn't have any friends over and never went to anyone's house. Reenie was worried about him, but all of her hints and then downright talks with her son-in-law netted nothing.

"He's getting over his grief at losing his mother. I don't think we should push him, he'll let us know when he wants to socialize again," Burt said. Reenie had no choice but to agree, Burt was his parent, after all. At least he agreed that her place was to stay for now. She hoped he liked having her there to do the housework, she had felt useful again for the first time since her husband, her beloved Brian, died.

After months of letting Kurt 'feel his grief', Reenie had enough and was bound and determined to get that boy out of his fantasy world of fairy stories and imaginary play pals. She knew Kurt was different, her Elizabeth had talked to her about it. Beth had known Kurt was capable of deeper feelings than other children his age. He liked to sit on the sidelines and watch, making detailed judgments instead of jumping into the fray. Kurt was delicate in some ways, his fragile-looking skin hiding the iron will underneath. Reenie recognized that iron will and was determined to bring it out. She thought about a way to get Kurt to live within the community again, but he wasn't cooperative, always wanting to be by himself. That was fine to a point, but he needed to do something useful in life -not just live inside himself and let the grief eat away at him.

"Kurt, honey, I have something I'd like you to do today," she told him one morning.

"Sure, Grandma, what do you need?"

"We're going to go on a visit, please dress in neat clothing, but not new things. You might get dirty, so keep that in mind," she said, allowing him to pick his own clothes. He liked to do that and he was good at it, even at this young age.

He returned, wearing nice shorts and a shirt that were not new, but made him look presentable.

She put him in the car and drove out of town to a berry farm where he helped her pick three pounds of raspberries. He got dirty, fussed about it a bit, but had a good time since almost as many berries went into his mouth as into the bucket. By the time they were back in the car, he was tired and happy.

First she was going to teach him how to make the perfect pie crust. She got out a lump of lard and the flour, showing him how it was done and they baked it with the clay marbles to keep it from bubbling.

Next she showed him how to wash the berries and the proper amount of sugar to add along with bits of water, corn starch, and butter. They cooked the mixture, then folded in the other half of the berries and poured it into the shell. She showed him how to dust powdered sugar over it with a fine sieve to make it pretty.

"Can we serve it to Daddy for dessert?" Kurt asked.

"Yes, we can this time. Next time I have a plan for it. Now, let's get supper started, but we have enough berries left to make three more pies. We'll do that tomorrow," she said and Kurt grinned. He decided he loved learning to bake pies from his grandmother.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

The first raspberry pie was wonderful, and ten times so because his father praised his cooking and his willingness to help. The next day, Grandma let Kurt do most of the work in making the three pies. He did a great job, remembering all the small details of how to do it and only needed some help when it came to rolling out the crust.

It was Saturday night and Kurt was sent to bed early, they had church in the morning. As usual, Kurt went to Sunday School with the other kids, but sat by himself. The teacher asked him if he wanted to sit up front, but he politely declined and she left him alone. After Sunday School, he ran up the stairs to stand with his grandmother, his favorite thing to do on Sunday mornings because he was proud of how everyone spoke politely to her. It was almost as good as the times he was with his mother when they waved at everyone in town.

"All right, now. Kurt, we are going to visit the Shut-ins," she said.

"The what?" he asked.

"The Shut-Ins. People too old or sick to come to church. We are going to go visit them so they aren't lonely," she told her grandson. Kurt rolled this over in his mind. He remembered the words -was it his mother that had mentioned shut-ins? It must have been a long time ago when she was well and could do things like drive the car. He sat quietly in the car as his grandmother drove.

They came to the first house, a small brick one with a neat lawn and trimmed bushes. Grandmother got out, took a pie from the back seat and handed it to Kurt. They marched up to the little house. A little lady came to the door.

"Hello, Mrs. Fowler, how are you feeling today?" Grandma asked. The lady frowned and told her to come in. They came in and sat where Mrs Fowler indicated.

"And who is this?" the lady asked.

"This is my grandson, Kurt Hummel," she told her. "He made an extra pie last night and thought you might like it," Grandma smiled.

"What kind of pie? I don't like pumpkin," the woman said, but with a small smile. She looked timid and Kurt realized she was not grouchy as he first thought, she was just shy.

"Grandma and I picked the raspberries from a farm, then she taught me to make the pies. I hope you like fresh raspberries," he said.

He got a slightly bigger smile from her.

"Would you like me to serve some for us?" Mrs Fowler asked.

"Not today, we have several others to visit, but you have a good day," Grandma said after they had visited for a while and they left, Mrs Fowler smiling as they got back in the car.

They went to two more houses that day, giving a pie to two brothers who had moved back in together when their wives passed and to a tiny cottage where a woman had six children and a sick husband.

"There, now how do you feel about visiting, Kurt?" Grandma asked. She could see that Kurt was interested in their morning, and the glow that grew in his face each time he gave away a pie told her everything she wanted to know. Reenie almost cried, seeing her daughter's best traits in her grandson.

"I loved it, Grandma. Can we do it again next week?"

And so for the next year, Kurt learned how to cook and how to bake and he went visiting shut-ins with his grandmother every Sunday.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"I'm sorry, Kurt, but we have to do this," Burt said to Kurt one evening during supper. I don't want to sell this house any more than you do, but it has to be done. I can't make a living in St. Mary's. I'm going to have to take the risk and throw in with my uncle, your Great Uncle Arthur, to own his shop with him," Burt said, tears in his eyes as he saw his son's heart break.

They had been over this a hundred times. Burt had been working with his uncle and driving to Lima every day, but with the fuel shortage and now that Grandma wasn't able to drive because of her poor eyesight, they were going to have to move.

Kurt was distraught, but there was no other way to keep afloat. He was eleven years old now and should be able to understand certain things. He knew that, but to give up the house that held all of his memories of his mother – it was too much.

Burt excused himself from the table and went up to his room, closing the door quietly. He just wanted to be alone. He missed Elizabeth as much as they did, and it was harder on him to be the one to make the decision to sell. He wondered how he was going to do it.

"Kurt, honey, come here," Grandma said and Kurt went over, putting his arms around her shoulders. He was trying to mop up his tears with his sleeve but Grandma took a hanky out of her sleeve and wiped his face.

"I know you miss your mam, I do. I miss her, too. And your dad probably misses her more than anyone. Do you know how hard this is for him? He worked all his life to have a good life for you, Kurt. And now – he has to sell the house he picked out with your mother, the one they wanted you to grow up in. But he has no choice because it's the way life is right now. You love your dad, don't you?"

Kurt nodded, his tears falling faster.

"You understand why he has to move, right?"

Nod.

"Then why don't you go up and give your dad a cuddle, try to make his life a little brighter. Your mother would be proud of you for it."

Kurt ran up the stairs, knocking gently on his parents' room and let himself in.

"I'm sorry, Daddy. I love you. I just had so many memories in this house – but I know it is harder on you because you had more. I'll help you pack, okay? We can find another house that needs to have new memories made in it, okay?" he said, then crawled into the bed and hugged his father.

"I love you, kid," Burt said.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

The Hummel family moved to Lima just in time. Uncle Arthur retired a few days after he signed the shop over to Burt. He was just waiting for him to show he wanted to work hard to get it.

Kurt was entering junior high in a few days and he was dreading it. He didn't know a soul in this town except old Uncle Arthur, and he didn't make friends easily. Since Grandma had been sick they didn't go visit shut-ins any more, so Kurt was content with baking and reading and helping to care for the house.

Grandma Reenie made sure he knew how to clean and cook and take care of the yard. Kurt had taken over just about all of her chores in the past year. He was getting old enough now to take care of himself.

It happened in the middle of the night. Kurt was in his bedroom in the basement when he heard a racket and a scream. He jumped from the bed, racing up the stairs and found his father bent over Grandma Reenie.

Three hours later, Burt carried Kurt inside the house, stopping to push the door closed with his foot. Grandma had broken her hip quite badly when she tripped over her nightgown in the dark hallway. The ambulance arrived and gave her some pain medication, then took her to the hospital, Burt and Kurt following. They had to operate, and Kurt kissed her cheek as they wheeled her down the hall. She held his hand and said, "Always find the kind things to do – it is better to be kind than to be right in this world".

Kurt had been sitting on a plastic chair next to his dad for over an hour when a doctor clad in green scrubs came out and motioned Burt over. He spoke to him for a few minutes and left. Burt came over to tell Kurt for the second time that the woman that was the center of his life was gone.

Kurt tried to tell himself it was for the best. She had been ninety-two and was tired. She gave up everything to come to America, then again when first her husband and then her daughter died. She had come into Kurt's life and made a difference, had loved him like his mother did. He knew it was her time, but he was going to miss her.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

**Lima, Ohio October 2010**

Kurt sat in math, drumming his pencil against the table. It was one of those funny days when it looked like the sun would shine, then the wind came up and it was freezing by the time school let out. He was glad he had his thick winter coat in the car.

"Kurt?" came a whispered shout from the seat over two spaces. Mercedes Jones.

He turned toward her, raised an eyebrow. He was not going to get caught talking in class.

"Pencil, please?" she mouthed, holding up her broken pencil for him to see. He nodded and got another one out of the pouch in his notebook, handing it to her when Mr. Londeen turned his back to print yet another problem on the board.

Kurt liked Mercedes. She was quick-witted like he was, and held herself in a way that people respected. She took no guff off of anyone about who she was. For some reason she really liked the shy boy that sat quietly in class and always had his homework done. He was sweet-tempered and good to look at.

If he had a drawback, it was that he was too shy. She had hinted that she would like to spend some time with him, lots of time. Maybe some private time. He was always polite and friendly, but no hints ever pierced that shell he wore. He was becoming a goal for her. And Mercedes liked earning the goals in her life.

"Thank you for the loan of your pencil in class, Kurt," she said in a honey-filled voice, putting her hand on his chest as she put the pencil in his breast pocket.

"Sure, 'Cedes. Anytime," he said, oblivious as always to her flirting. She sighed. Loudly. They were walking down a back hallway – he on his way to the parking lot and she on her way to Glee club. She stopped him outside the door, looked around to make sure nobody was coming, and planted a kiss on his lips. It was a very quick, dry, chaste kiss, but...a kiss just the same. He stared at her as she grinned at him and slipped through the door to her club meeting.

Kurt staggered to his car. What the hell? He had done nothing other than to loan her a pencil and she...kissed him? How strange was that? He had no idea what to think. He sat in his car, thinking for a long time. He had thought several times about kissing someone, but not anyone he knew at school. He watched shows and movies and thought some people were good looking, but rarely did he think about kissing them.

When was he going to face it? He did find some people attractive - just not ones like Mercedes Jones. No, he found himself looking at different people. Male people. He would follow a good looking guy with his eyes down the hall, wondering what he might look like under his jeans, what his kiss might taste like. Kurt sighed, too upset to name what his problem was. He put the keys into the ignition and drove out of the parking lot.

Kurt didn't go anywhere after school like most kids. He didn't hang around at the mall, or go to a friend's house. He didn't have a friend close enough to go visit. He knew his dad was working late tonight, so he sent a text message to tell him that he was going to do some studying and he'd be a bit late. His dad replied to be careful and he'd pick up something on the way home for supper.

Kurt took off for the highway going southwest of Lima. It took him 34 minutes to get to the cemetery in St Mary's.

It wasn't the first time he'd been there, but he didn't come often. He just needed a quiet place to sit and think. He wished he could talk to his mom now. She would understand what was wrong with him. He told her in his mind, describing the swirling thoughts he had as his body betrayed him. He had been going through puberty for two years now and knew about certain things – they were quite evident – and could take care of those himself, but he was confused about the other stuff, the emotional stuff.

He sat there for almost an hour, but he needed to get back home. He walked back down the footpath and stopped at his grandmother's grave. She died in Lima, but they buried her between her husband and daughter. Kurt came close to her stone, touching it.

"Mommy would have understood me," Kurt murmured as he thought of his grandmother, "but you would have known what I can do about it."

He got back in his car, threw on the warmer jacket because it was getting colder, and drove home.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

It took less than a week before Mercedes was back at it, flirting and giggling with him. Kurt liked her, but it was getting embarrassing and he felt he was doing her a disservice by not telling her. So, one day after school he invited her to the local ice cream parlor. She went with him, a smile on her face.

"I think we need to talk, 'Cedes," he started and she looked into his eyes with so much happiness in her face.

"I think I'd like that, Kurt. What did you want to talk about?"

"I think you...maybe...want to be...ah...closer? To me?" he stuttered. It was a hard thing to think about and he knew he was just about to hurt her.

"Yes, that is the case, Kurt. What do we need to say other than that?"

"Ah...I don't think I can be with you...in that way," he said, hanging his head. He didn't want to have to say the words.

"Why? Don't you like me?" she demanded.

"Yes, I do – but we aren't a match, you know?"

"Oh. I get it, white boy. You don't like the chocolate sister, huh? I'm not good enough for your lily-white skin?" she said in the meanest way possible, but Kurt could see she didn't hate him - she was hurt.

He took her hands across the table.

"No, Mercedes, you are the sweetest girl I have ever known. You are talented and beautiful and kind. But I can't hurt you – we can't be together like that."

"What? Would your father object? Is that it? You can't bring me home to daddy?"

"Mercedes, stop. You know that isn't true. I just can't be with you..." he stuttered, not finishing his thought.

"WHY?" she demanded, looking in his eyes and daring him to answer. He stared back, feeling the answer being drawn from him.

"Because...you're a girl," he said loudly and jumped up from the table, realizing what he'd said. He had so many things he could have said – about his commitment to his school work, the time he spent helping at his dad's shop, but he said the truth to her and he said it so everyone in the parlor heard him. He ran from the store, and the eyes that followed him smirked. There was another student from McKinley who had left school early that day – and by lunch tomorrow, she would see that everyone in the school would know that Kurt Hummel was gay.


	4. Chapter 4 - Secrets

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Four – Secrets**

**Westerville, Ohio - Anderson house - Summer 1965**

"When are your parents due home?" Buddy asked, lounging on Andy's bed. He was lying across the bedspread, wearing just a summer-weight shirt, which was unbuttoned, and a pair of linen shorts.

"Not for another six weeks. Mom called last night to tell me about some resort they were visiting where the car broke down and they had to have it towed. Aunt Esther threatened to come home, but they talked her out of it," Andy explained. "Dad said they are not cutting their vacation short because of a little car trouble – so he bought a new one."

Buddy laughed. "Serious?"

"Yeah. You've met my dad...you know how he is," Andy grinned. His dad didn't have much patience.

"Andy?"

"Yeah?"

"Are we going to tell them? About us?"

"No. It's nobody's business but ours. We can move somewhere, maybe? Fire Island or San Francisco?" Andy suggested.

"Yeah. I'm scared, Andy. Really scared. You've seen the news...what can happen. This might be 'the time of love', but that just means for them, not us," he said, dropping his head into his arms and hiding his face.

Andy got up off of the chair he was sitting in, walked over to his bed and sat next to Buddy.

"Hey, don't think like that. We are grown men, and what we do behind closed doors is nobody's business. We can be together – we're together now," he said very softly. He put a gentle hand on Buddy's back, feeling the strong muscles through the thin cotton.

Buddy turned over, his face a picture of misery.

"Andy, we are in your parents' house and while I love being here with you, what is going to happen when they get home? Do you honestly think your folks are going to be clueless about us if I move into your room? They already think we spend too much time together – they won't be happy if I live here with you under their roof."

Andy sat still, knowing Buddy was right. He needed to look into some things, do some thinking. He knew one thing for sure: now that he had Buddy, he was never going to let him go.

"I have some things to work out, but I was thinking I might move out. I'm thirty-three for heaven sake...I'll get an apartment and we can live together. As roommates. What do you think?" he asked.

"Ah...that sounds good? But you don't even have a job. You quit the bank in April – what are you going to do?" Buddy asked.

"I want to sing. Money isn't a problem, I have the trust account Grandpa left me and since I live on the dividends, it will be enough. I want to sing and play my guitar and write music. I have three dozen songs that I've sent out to music agencies. I know I can do this," Andy said with confidence.

"Okay. I still have my job – maybe it will work," Buddy said, believing it for the first time.

He moved closer to Andy, touching his cheek with his index finger and drawing a line down to his lips. Andy closed his eyes and Buddy's lips met his. He sighed, thinking to himself that this..._this_ was what heaven must feel like.

"Buddy?"

"Yeah?"

"I want to ask you something," Andy said. It was later that night and the two of them were in their underwear, under the sheet on the bed and looking out the French doors to the balcony of Andy's room.

"Anything..."

"I love that we kiss – and touch, but don't you think sometimes there's more? I mean, if one of us was a girl there would be more...can't _we_ have more?" Andy asked. He knew what he and Buddy were, homos, queers, fags...he knew the names and the stigma, but he wasn't sure what people like himself _did_. There had to be more than kissing and touching.

"Ah...I have this friend. He got me some magazines and ...well, I read them. I can show you what I read? But I've never done it before. Just the...touching with you, Andy," Buddy confessed. "I want more, too."

"Who is this friend?" Andy asked, trying so hard not to sound jealous, but how could he not be jealous if some guy was giving Buddy sex magazines?

"Oh, Andy...don't worry. It's a guy I've known for a long time. He's old enough to be my grandfather. He is somebody I can talk to sometimes. He's not creepy or anything, just understanding. Okay? You can meet him if you want," Buddy said, a little worried. Devon didn't like meeting new people.

"Okay...I trust you. Sorry, I just..."

"I understand. I'd feel the same way, but really, there is no reason to fear," Buddy assured his friend. Then he leaned forward and kissed Andy. Andy's arms went around him and pulled him closer, kissing him harder.

Buddy's hand went down to tickle the hairs on Andy's belly and he knew then how excited Andy was. While he couldn't really bring himself to use words to explain what he wanted, Buddy had no problems showing him. He pushed Andy onto his back, climbed on top of him and lay full-length – kissing him and finding just where he wanted their bodies to meet. They had done this before, and it always ended in the same way – satisfaction for both of them. But Buddy wanted something new tonight and he thought Andy did, too.

He got up, kneeling next to Andy and took off their jockey shorts, setting them beside Andy on the bed, then kissed his belly, slowly and with a lot of open-mouth, wet kisses. Andy groaned, his muscles stiffening as Buddy kissed down his belly once more. He gently took Andy in hand and put out his tongue. He didn't know what it would taste or feel like – the magazine didn't say, but seeing Andy so excited was enough. He could do this for him.

Buddy started by licking all the way up from root to tip, realizing it didn't taste any different than the rest of Andy's skin, so he got brave and put his mouth over the crown and pushed down. Andy was shaking, his muscles trembling as his voice reached a new octave. His fingers were buried in Buddy's hair, holding tight. Buddy closed his eyes and swirled his wet tongue all around and then sucked.

Andy almost came off the bed at that, moaning words Buddy couldn't understand, but didn't need to. He began moving up and down on Andy, using his tongue and cheeks to hold him tight as he stroked with his mouth.

"Buddy!" Andy shouted, his eyes glassy and his breath on fire. It was too soon, but Andy knew what was about to happen and he panicked. He pulled Buddy away, babbling about coming now – and Buddy pulled back, but kept his hand there to finish the job. Andy came harder than he ever had in all of his life, feeling like his whole essence was spilling out across his stomach, semen dripping down the skin of his bare hips, his head in the clouds.

"Andy?" Buddy asked, his voice soft and tender. "Are...are you okay?"

"Yes. I think so...Buddy? Thank you," he whispered as Buddy stroked his face. He'd gone to get towels and cleaned his boyfriend, moving him to the other side of the bed and snuggling close, sheet pulled up to make a warm nest. He had held Andy for the better part of an hour, just held him with a few kisses, some touching of their skin, sharing breath.

"You seem – I don't know...upset?"

"No, Buddy, I'm not upset. Sorry, I am just...in shock I guess. I mean, I knew we liked the touching and we've done the kissing and ...rubbing with our clothes still on. But that...it was different. Are you okay with it?" Andy's voice betrayed his fear and his muscles trembled. "Did you know it would be like that?"

"No, not exactly. I liked it, though. Seeing you like that? Tasting you, being so close. Andy, do you want to stop?" Buddy asked, now hearing the fear in his own voice.

"No. I'd give anything on heaven and earth to do that with you again. To share that with you, Buddy. You have no idea. I loved you before, and I will always love you – but that..." he had no words and Buddy understood. He snuggled closer, holding Andy with an iron grip. He wanted it forever, too.

Buddy was almost asleep when he felt Andy's hand sliding down his back, stroking him and moving to push him down on the bed, on his back, as Andy's mouth closed around his hard erection...


	5. Chapter 5 - Volunteer

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Five - Volunteer**

**Lima, Ohio – 2011**

Kurt sat on the slick floor of the hallway outside the gym at McKinley High. He had found his missing shoe and was putting it back on, having wiped the slushie ice from the surface with a towel. He was late again for Honors' English and he knew he would get a ration of shit from his teacher. He'd have to make this up with an extra paper of something for Mrs Sharrone.

At first, he had tried to explain to his teachers why he was late – showing them the evidence of the sticky blue corn syrup that stained his designer shirt, but all she said was that everyone else managed to make it to class on time, so he gave up and just allowed extra time for the hazing in the hallways.

It had been lonely at first, going to McKinley, but he had made some sort-of friends. Girls who didn't mind hanging around with someone non-threatening who could help with design problems and small sewing repairs between classes. A boy that didn't try to put his hand down their blouse or up their skirt under the bleachers or in a deserted hallway. He was a gentleman.

Then they found out he was not what they thought – that he was a fag. Word went around in a matter of a few days, everyone knew and nobody was lacking an opinion.

It started with the words on his locker. FAG. QUEER. HOMO. Then they stopped talking to him. Including the girls he thought of as his friends, Mercedes and Tina, and even Rachel Berry. He wanted to cry, but instinct told him not to give in to that. That would be the end for him if they found him weak. So he held his head up and did his best to stay at the top of his classes in grades and he just stayed out of everybody's way.

Kurt was in a quandary. He knew he couldn't go to the administration for help, he'd probably be killed in the hall if he turned anyone in for their bullying. He couldn't go to his dad, the pressure of trying to run his own business was already so bad. Kurt tried to help his dad, working in the garage on the weekends and doing the purchase orders and inventory. But telling his dad what was going on at school – telling his dad the truth of what he was - it was just not possible. So Kurt endured it.

He was probably at the breaking point when he finally saw a glimmer of hope. Sitting at the Lima Chocolate Shop, he was looking around, trying to keep his eyes busy as he finished his hot chocolate. There were a few McKinley students in the shop and Kurt wanted to finish and get out of there before one of them noticed him in the corner. He propped a newspaper in front of his face to avoid detection.

There on the page was a small ad. It was from a nursing home looking to recruit some "Angels": volunteers to come and visit the aging residents. Kurt's thoughts clouded. He remembered faintly going around St Mary's with his mother, seeing all the older people smile as she brought cheer to their lives. Then he thought of all the joy in baking tarts and cookies and pies for the shut-ins of the church and visiting them with his grandmother every Sunday. Maybe this was something he could do to bring some balance back into his life? He pulled the page from the paper and folded it neatly, sticking it into his messenger bag. He finished the last drops of the hot chocolate and cleaned up his little table, brushing up the crumbs from his biscotti and leaving the shop.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"May I help you?" a skinny woman, dressed in a light blue uniform and wearing a name tag that announced she was 'Vickie, Activity Director at Kenton Manor Assisted Living Centre'.

"My Name is Kurt Hummel. I saw your ad in the paper, asking for volunteer 'Angels" and I thought I might apply."

She looked him over, touching her finger to her lip.

"No. Sorry, but you won't do. What are you? Fifteen? No," she said and turned on her heel to walk briskly back down the dingy hallway.

Kurt ran after her.

"But...why? I have experience. I can help, honest!"

"Why do you want to do this, sonny? Put a blurb on your extra-curriculars for your Ivy League college application? No. I don't train boys who just want to get the name and then quit. I do not have the time, and these people don't deserve to be used. So, out the door, go volunteer at the animal shelter or build houses for the poor or something," Vickie said, not unkindly, but with a note of finality to her decision.

"That is not why I want to do it. Please, can we talk? I miss my mom, I miss my grandma and the only thing I can think to do is what I did with them – try to bring a bit of sunshine into someone else's life. Is that so bad? Do you have so many volunteers that you can afford to turn me down?" he pleaded. She seemed unmoved by his words and walked away.

"Can't you give me one, tiny chance?" he asked, but his voice said he was already defeated. Maybe he could go to the church over a few blocks and talk to someone there about it. He leaned against the wall, closed his eyes in sorrow and tried to gather some strength.

"Pssst," he heard.

Looking around, he didn't see anyone. Maybe he mis-heard.

"Pssst...hey, boy. Come in here and shut the door," a weak voice said. He stood up, looked and saw a woman in a hospital bed, her head covered in an old fashioned nightcap, her pink blanket pulled up to her chest. The old woman had wispy white hair peeking out from under her cap, rosy cheeks, and wire-frame glasses that made her bright eyes look like blueberries. She could say she was the wife of Santa Clause and anyone would believe her. She was beckoning him into the room.

"Yes, Ma'am, can I help you?" he asked, the politeness coming back without a thought.

"Honey, come sit on my bed for a moment, I need to talk to you," she said, patting the edge of the bed, near a folded log cabin quilt. Kurt looked and saw a folding chair leaning against a wall and brought it over instead.

"Hello, Sweetie. I couldn't help but hear you in the hallway," she said, her Irish lilt bringing tears to Kurt's eyes as he remembered his grandmother's voice.

"Yes, Ma'am. Could I maybe get something for you?" he asked, not sure why she called him in here. "I...that woman said I can't be one of the volunteers, but I could help you before I go," he said kindly.

"Oh, sonny, it brings joy to my ears to find someone your age with such manners and kindness, but it's not me that needs help today. It's you, isn't it?" she asked with a sweet smile.

Kurt smiled back.

"My name is Brenna Eileen O'Grady. I come from County Kilkenny, but have been in Lima since I was a girl. Please call me Brenna," she said, her tiny voice full of smiles.

"Thank you, Miss Brenna. My name is Kurt Hummel, and I live here in Lima," Kurt said, finding himself smiling at the sweet woman. "My grandmother was from Kilkenny, too."

Brenna smiled. Yes, she was right. She knew the look of this young man – he must be of the family of her friend from childhood.

"You know, Kurt, I went to church in St Mary's when I was young. I had a best friend there. She came over to America a little before I did and she helped me learn to live here. I was so sad, missing my folks and my sisters and brothers. She would sing to me – I remember the song still." She got a sad look to her face and opened her mouth to sing. It was weak and the notes wobbled, but he could see she heard it differently:

"_Oh, Inisfree, my island, I'm returning  
From wasted years across the wintry sea.  
And when I come back to my own dear Ireland,  
I'll rest a while beside you, gradh mochroidhe."_

Kurt's eyes misted, too, and he took up where her old voice could not continue:

"_I've met some folks who say that I'm a dreamer,  
And I've no doubt there's truth in what they say,  
But sure a body's bound to be a dreamer  
When all the things she loves are far away.  
And precious things are dreams unto an exile.  
They take her o'er the land across the sea -  
Especially when it happens she's an exile  
From that dear lovely Isle of Inisfree._

_And when the moonlight peeps across the rooftops  
Of this great city, wondrous though it be,  
I scarcely feel its wonder or its laughter.  
I'm once again back home in Inisfree. "_

Brenna was still smiling, but the tears were rolling down her face as she took his hand and squeezed it. He knew all the verses and sang every one of them for her as her focus on him grew fuzzy and he knew she couldn't see him anymore, her eyes were seeing the legendary forty shades of green back in her homeland. She was back there now, he thought, at least in her daydream and he hated for the song to end almost as much as she did.

"Oh, Kurt, you have the voice of an angel, my dear. I know you must think I'm an old soft-headed and silly woman, but it has been thirty years since I heard anyone sing that song. Where did you learn it?"

"My grandmother used to sing it. She and my mother. I learned it when I was a very little boy. If it makes you happy, I can sing it any time you like," he smiled. This..._this_ is what he missed about being with his grandmother. The sheer joy in a face to which happiness had long been a stranger.

"What was her name?"

"Maureen Whelan."

"Reenie!" Brenna said, now all but breathless, the happiness exploding in her heart. "Reenie O'Bannon! She and I were thick as thieves, we were. She stayed in St Mary's?"

"No, my mother was born there and then my grandparents moved to Kettering. When my mom died, Grandma came to live with us. Grandpa had died years ago and Grandma was by herself. She lived with us for three years before she passed," Kurt said, his heart not as heavy as it had been now he had met someone that knew his family.

Brenna looked so happy, holding Kurt's hand and patting it.

"I'm that sorry she's gone, Kurt. I can hear in your voice how much you miss her. My own family is all gone now. Most of them never came here, and I never went back. It was a bad time when I was sent here – too many mouths to feed, not enough to go around. I was sent with a group of girls from the church. We stayed together until one by one marriage took us. I never got married. I worked as a nanny for different folks, and I still have visits from the children I helped raise. They are good to me, but I do get lonely from time to time. I could use an Angel, you know. Someone who could come and sing the old songs to me. Would you be willing to do that, Kurt Hummel? Vickie can't tell you not to visit me, you know," Brenna said with a naughty-girl look on her face.

Kurt giggled.

"Okay, Miss Brenna. You have a deal. I will be back tomorrow after school with a new song for you," he smiled. She looked tired out, so he put the folding chair back and kissed her head the way his mother and grandmother always did for him. "Goodnight, Miss Brenna," he whispered as he saw her nod into sleep.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

School didn't seem so bad after that. Kurt went to visit Miss Brenna three times a week after school. She taught him to play cribbage, but she never let him win. He still remembered the day he beat her and shouted so loud the nurses came running in to see what had happened. He made peace with Vickie the Activity Director and was able to use the piano in the recreation room. Kurt didn't play, but there were several in the home that did and were happy to accompany the young man who made Miss Brenna so happy.

He was singing the songs she remembered from so long ago – songs Kurt's mother and grandmother sang to him. Wild Mountain Thyme, The Rose of Tralee, Whiskey in a Jar, Star of the County Down, The Fields of Athenry. The one he refused to sing was his mother's favorite and he knew he would never get through it without tears, so Danny Boy was not on the list. Miss Brenna understood, and never asked again, but when she was feeling nostalgic and sad one day, he sang Turra Lurra Lurra to her, stroking her forehead until she was asleep under her fluffy pink shawl.

He didn't notice the old man who walked down the hall by himself, avoiding the other residents and staff. He was outside the room when Kurt took his leave, patting Miss Brenna's shoulder and kissing her hair. Kurt hurried from the room, tears blinding his eyes as he ran to get home and cook his father's supper. The old man stood in the hall, watching as Kurt ran, a gasp in his breath and astonishment in his eyes.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"What smells so good?" Burt asked, sniffing as he walked in the back door on a Saturday.

"Lunch! Are you hungry? I'm making some food for Miss Brenna and I thought I would make you some, too," Kurt smiled.

"Sounds great, bud. What is it?"

"I had leftovers from Friday night supper, so I made boxty and coddle," Kurt said, dishing up a big bowl of potatoes with sausage, back bacon, and seasoned with onions. The slice of boxty bread was on a separate plate with fresh butter. Burt grinned. It was like his mother-in-law was back.

"Thanks, Kurt, this is wonderful. That woman, Miss Brenna, does she like this stuff?" he asked.

"I don't know. I'm not usually there at supper so I didn't know how bad the food was until one of the other residents told me. Miss Brenna never complains about anything. So I thought I would surprise her today. They eat supper at five, so I need to get going by four and I still have all of this to pack," he smiled at his dad.

"She is one lucky gal to have you, Kurt. I'm so proud of you, trying so hard to make another person happy. You remind me so much of your mother," he said, tears in his eyes.

"Oh, Dad! Don't cry. I'm just happy to be of some use to someone."

At a quarter of five, Kurt pulled up in front of Kenton Assisted Living and got out, bringing the large box with him. He walked to a room at the end of the corridor that was often empty and set up the food, then went to get Miss Brenna. She would be in her wheelchair now, getting ready for supper.

"Hello, Miss Brenna," Kurt said, walking into the room.

"Kurt! What are you doing here on a Saturday evening? You should be out kissing the girls," she laughed, so pleased to see him.

"I'm coming to pick up my favorite girl to take her to supper with me," he said, handing her a daisy and taking the handles of her wheelchair and guiding it down the hall. He'd cleared this with Miss Brenna's nurse first, of course.

As they got closer, the scents of the good food were making their way down the hall and Miss Brenna's face was all smiles.

"Did your granny teach you to make this meal, young man?" she asked.

"Yes, Ma'am," he said, turning the last corner. She held up her hand to stop him. He came around to see what she needed, kneeling down in front of her.

"Kurt, this is the best thing you could do for me, and I love you for it...but might I ask another favor?" she looked up at him with her bright blueberry-colored eyes.

"Of course! What can I do for you?" he asked, ready to grant her any favor.

"There is a gentleman I eat supper with on Saturdays. Can we invite him to dine with us?" she asked, the need clear on her face. Kurt was touched that she would remember her friend and readily agreed.

"There is plenty for all of us," Kurt said.

And so, a few minutes later, they were dining in the extra room and Kurt was meeting Miss Brenna's friend.

"Kurt Hummel, this is my friend, Andy. He lives here, but he hides from everyone and never leaves his room except to eat," she said, a stern look on her face. Andy blushed. He put out a hand to shake Kurt's.

"It is so nice to meet a friend of Miss Brenna's, I'm so happy you could join us, Mr...?" Kurt inquired.

"Please, just call me Andy," he said with finality.

"Andy. Are you familiar with traditional Irish food?" Kurt asked. When Andy shook his head in the negative, Kurt explained the Dublin Coddle with the sausages, bacon, potatoes and onions; and the boxty bread with fresh butter to mop up the juices from the coddle on the plate. "Then for dessert, we have a raspberry pie – not traditional Irish, but the first thing my grandmother ever taught me to bake," Kurt oozed enthusiasm, seeing the joy in Miss Brenna's face.

"Are you going to join us?" Andy asked the young man.

"No, I ate with my dad. You two enjoy, I'll just sit here and keep you company," he said.

"Maybe you could sing?" Brenna suggested. She knew how much Andy loved music and she thought if he could hear Kurt, he might smile more.

"Any requests?" Kurt asked.

"No, just anything you like. Maybe something slow and lovely?" Brenna asked. Kurt smiled. He had a song that had been rattling around in his head for a while. Singing it might get it to go away. He hummed to himself for a minute, making sure he was on tune.

"_Imagine there is no heaven  
It's easy if you try  
No hell below us  
Above us only sky_

_Imagine all the people  
Living for today_

_Imagine there's no countries  
It isn't hard to do  
Nothing to kill or die for  
And no religion, too_

_Imagine all the people  
Living life in peace_

_You may say I'm a dreamer  
But I'm not the only one  
I hope someday you will join us  
And the world will be as one"_

Kurt has been concentrating on the song, his gaze on something in the far distance when he heard a small sob. He stopped, looking at Miss Brenna, but she was busy chewing her sausage. His gaze turned to Andy and the man was sitting, staring at Kurt – tears running down his cheeks.

"Don't stop, I pray to you, finish the song," he said, his voice broken.

Kurt finished, then went to the man.

"I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to upset you," he said, truly remorseful.

"No, young man I loved the song – it just brought back some good memories."

"Kurt, could you take me back to my room?" Miss Brenna interrupted. "I'm very tired."

"Of course. Andy? I will be right back to clean this," Kurt said, taking Miss Brenna's wheelchair and guiding her back to her room. Her nurse was waiting to get her back to bed and she said a hasty goodbye to Kurt.

"Listen, Kurt," she whispered, pulling him down so she could say it in his ear. "Work your magic on Andy. He is a wonderful man, but he is so lonely. He needs your kindness. See what you can do. I'm counting on you, sweetie."

And with that, he was shooed from the room.

"Andy, sorry to run out, but she looked so tired," he apologized as he walked back into the room.

"No apology necessary, Kurt. I was just finishing this good food. Did you cook it?" he asked.

"Yes. My grandmother taught me to cook when my mother died. I thought it might bring a tiny bit of Ireland back to Miss Brenna. She misses her childhood home, I think," he said. Andy smiled at the kind thought. He had been almost sure last week when he heard Kurt sing, and now after meeting him he _knew_ -

"...and that's why we moved here to Lima," Kurt finished the story explaining how he came to be here. Andy missed most of it, but it didn't matter.

"You...sing so well, Kurt. Do you belong to a club at school?" he asked, knowing a lot of young people joined show choir nowadays with all the interest in those contest shows.

"No, I'm not...I don't do extra stuff at school. I spend my time here, helping where I can."

"Oh, you're one of our Volunteer Angels," Andy said.

"Yeah. At first Vickie turned me down, but Miss Brenna asked me to stay and now I guess Vickie sort of trusts me. I did it as a way to help others, though, not for some selfish reason like she thought. I just wanted to give someone a smile, you know?" Kurt said.

"So, there aren't so many smiles in your own life then, Kurt?" he asked.

"Maybe not so many, but I'm fine. I won't have to live in Ohio forever," he said bitterly.

Andy broke out laughing.

"I said those very same words myself once, but I never ended up moving away," he admitted.

"Why not?"

"The love of my life was here, I couldn't go," he said, tears stinging his eyes as those same thoughts from earlier came back.

"Oh! I am so sorry. It seems like I'm always stepping my big foot into it. I don't know what I said...?" Kurt panicked. He wanted to make friends with this man, this friend of Miss Brenna's. He liked Andy the minute he met him, and here he was upsetting the man once again.

"Sit, if you would, Kurt. Relax and talk to me," Andy invited and his voice was so warm that Kurt found himself quite under his spell. He sat down and as they talked, Kurt felt like he had known Andy all of his life.

"Do you have anyone special, Kurt? Someone in your life that you find you can't live without?" Andy asked.

Kurt studied the man. Andy sat in the chair, a smile gathered in the wrinkles of his ancient mouth, and his eyes sparkled behind the wire-framed glasses perched on his nose to give him a younger appearance. Kurt had no idea how old Andy was. He had a full head of soft curls that were still more black than silver, a lithe body that still showed signs of muscle under the neat fabric of his clothes. He was wearing dress trousers with an oxford shirt, a knitted cardigan and of all things, a bow tie. If he had been closer to Kurt's age, the boy would have swooned.

Andy seemed to be studying him, too. He looked at Kurt's face, concentrating on his eyes. Andy's were a honey-toned hazel brown with tiny flecks of a moss green that brought out the twinkles in spite of the thick glasses he wore.

"Ah...sorry, I didn't mean to stare, Andy. I just – it feels like we have met before? Do I know you, perhaps from St Mary's? I lived there before we moved here to Lima," Kurt said.

"No, I don't think so. I would remember you, Kurt."

"Oh, well, silly me..." Kurt said, uncomfortable.

"Hey, now. Don't be upset. I think it's often times that when you meet someone you are instantly connected to, it seems like you've know them before. I don't think it's anything to worry about. You do feel comfortable with me, don't you?" Andy asked.

"Yeah, I do. I really do," Kurt said, feeling a warmth seep into has body at the thought of being friends with Andy. He felt so right, like a puzzle piece dropping into place and suddenly jarring his world into focus.

"Andy? Do you feel comfortable with me?" Kurt asked, wondering why the man continued to look at him so hard, as if he could read Kurt's heart. He wondered if Andy would like him so much if he knew Kurt was gay. The boy frowned at himself, that wasn't called for at all! Why would it matter? He tried to bring his thoughts under control once again.

"Kurt, are you okay? You do seem to be...preoccupied? Perhaps you need to get home now. I bet your dad is missing you," he said.

"Yeah...I better go, thank you for helping me clean up," he said.

"Thank you for the meal, it was the best food I've had in years," Andy said in heart-felt complement. "Please, come by and visit me again soon, I've enjoyed this so much." He stood and held out his hand to Kurt, who took it in his own. There was an instant spark and Kurt jumped a bit, giggling.

"Goodnight, Kurt."

"Goodnight, sir, it was so nice to have met you," Kurt returned.

Kurt walked back out to his car, his step lighter than it had been for a very long time.


	6. Chapter 6 - The Apartment

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Six – The Apartment**

**Westerville, Ohio – September 1966**

"Move to your left...no, _your_ left!" Buddy shouted, trying to maneuver the leather couch into the hallway from the staircase.

"Oh...yeah, that's left..." Andy said, realizing he was turned the other way. He adjusted his arms and tugged – and the couch slipped around the last corner.

"Hey, this is going to be great!" Buddy said, falling down onto the couch as he tossed Andy a beer from the cooler on the floor as soon as they got the couch in place.

They had found the perfect apartment: large, in a good neighborhood, and no close neighbors since it was the upstairs of a row of shops in downtown Westerville. There was room for both a music studio and an office, plus two bedrooms, and it was almost sound-proof since it had been a dance studio in its former life. Most of the rest of the place was an open living room-dining room- kitchen that was comfortable to both men.

It had been a long search, or at least Andy felt like it was. He wanted to be all moved out by the time his parents came home because the thought of going to bed alone, without Buddy there to cuddle and love, was just unthinkable. So they had started their search the next day and now they were officially moved in and Andy's folks were due home next Tuesday.

"Open the door!"

Buddy got up and ran over to open the door for Andy's brother. He and a handful of their friends had helped to move all the furniture and boxes from the men's houses to the new apartment, and TC was the only one left. They had all gone on their way, full of beer and pizza and promises to visit Buddy and Andy in the near future.

"That's the last box," Andy's brother said, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Everything set for you guys now?"

"Yep. We just need to get stuff put away. Thanks for all your help. You know I love you," Andy said.

"Yeah, I love you, too. Call when you get it all put together and we can have dinner over here. I want to be your first guest, okay?"

"Of course. Bye, TC," Andy said, hugging his brother. Buddy stepped over to give him a hug, too.

"Take care, I"ll see ya later - I want to get the truck back to cousin George."

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

**Later that evening**

"It's just us now," Buddy said, lying back on the big couch, slipping his shoes off and stretching out. He patted the cushion next to him and Andy came over, sitting on the spot, then leaning down to plunge his tongue into Buddy's willing mouth.

Ohhh...you taste like beer, honey," Buddy said a few minutes later, licking his lips as Andy unbuttoned his shirt.

"I taste like beer or I taste like honey?" he asked, a little unclear.

"No...you taste like beer. I was calling _you_ 'honey'," Buddy laughed.

"You taste like beer, too. And salty...like sweat," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Ah, we've been moving furniture, Andy. What else did you expect?" Buddy asked, sitting up so Andy could take his shirt off.

"I like it when you smell like this," Andy said, licking across Buddy's neck and kissing him in the hollow by his jaw. Buddy practically purred.

"Your folks okay with you moving in with me? I mean, you never really said. I can go and talk to them..." Andy offered.

"No. They're fine with it. I think they were expecting me to move away a long time ago. Both mom and dad said to tell you hello," Buddy mentioned. His folks were kind of laid-back. Very friendly, but not the type to get close.

"Do you think they suspect we, ah...how close we are?" Andy asked, wanting to know more but not sure how to say it.

"No. They think we're rooming together to save money. Being an artist for an advertising company doesn't pay so much, so they're happy I have help," he said.

"Do you think that someday we can tell them?" Andy asked.

"No...probably not. But it doesn't matter. What we do here, together, isn't anyone's business. We can be together forever," Buddy said, his eyes sparkling. Andy smiled at the thought of being in love with Buddy for the rest of his life was enough to make him grin for hours at a time. It was the only true thing in his life, his love for the chestnut-haired man that he now got to live with. He was the luckiest man in the world.

"Race you to the shower," Andy said playfully.

Buddy beat him there, and they rolled together on the floor before taking off all of their sweaty clothes and jumping under the warm water.

"Ah...that feels good," Andy said as Buddy soaped up the washcloth again and scrubbed his back. Rinsing his lover's skin under the pounding water, Buddy slid his hands slowly over Andy's chest as he kissed down his neck. He was rewarded with a sexy whine as Andy's knees got weak.

"You like that, baby?" Buddy asked, his voice low and soft. His hands followed along Andy's muscles, the tight abs, down to his muscular thighs.

"Yes, Buddy...yes," Andy moaned, Buddy's fingers curling around his erection. "Can you...?"

Buddy didn't need any more encouragement. He dropped to his knees and took Andy into his mouth, going down as far as he could without gagging. He swirled his tongue around Andy's cock, rubbing and licking until he needed to suck. He sucked hard, cupping his balls and moaning his pleasure. He could feel Andy's legs stiffen, his muscles taut as he got closer. Buddy hummed, closing his eyes to concentrate as he worked Andy closer to orgasm.

"Buddy!" Andy yelled, coming down his throat and trembling as he tried to maintain. Buddy's arms were around him in a second, holding him. Protecting him. Loving him.

They quietly finished washed each other, shampooing their hair, and holding each other.

"This is too good to be true," Buddy said as they dried off and spread the new sheets on the bed in Andy's room. In record time they had it all ready and were laying in bed, looking out the window at the night sky.

"Nothing is too good when it comes to you, Buddy. All I want out of life is to share it with you," he said, pulling his lover closer.

"Ditto."

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

The apartment was put together inside of a week. It was set up as if there were two bedrooms, one for each man so if anyone visiting were to look, they would never guess where Andy and Buddy slept. Buddy's clothes were in his bedroom along with his dresser and things, but they actually lived in Andy's room with its queen-sized bed and attached bath. The living room space was decorated mostly by Buddy, who enjoyed doing it and Andy was content to let him do so. Buddy did most of the cooking, although both men were excellent cooks.

Buddy worked for an advertising agency. He worked from home quite a bit and had his drafting board and things set up in the spacious office overlooking the park. He did some freelance artwork for a few companies to make a bit of extra cash. Next to the office/art room was the music studio where Andy wrote songs and played his instruments.

When they had been in the apartment a little over a year, Buddy found a second-hand piano and bought it for Andy's birthday. To Buddy's delight, Andy loved it and played everything he knew one night, never wanting to stop until Buddy gave him something else to think about.

For Buddy's birthday, Andy gave him a dog. It was a huge mutt that Andy claimed was part St Bernard, part collie, and part Buick. His name was Buck, after the dog in Call of the Wild, and he went everywhere with Buddy.

It wasn't too long before Andy's songs got some exposure. He sold one to a popular singer, and from there he sold two more and suddenly his name seemed to be on everyone's lips. They loved his songs and his songs made them money. The only thing Andy was missing now was a record deal of his own, but he was content to stay in their apartment in Westerville with the man he loved.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

**Westerville, Ohio - September 1967**

"Can I open my eyes yet?" Andy asked, trying very hard not to peek.

"Just a second, Mr Impatience, I'll be right there," Buddy called from the kitchen. He set the little blue candle in the cupcake and lit it, walking back into the living room to stand in front of his roommate. "Okay," he breathed.

Andy opened his eyes, blinking at the bright light of the candle and grinned.

"For me? Thanks, but what's the occasion?" Andy asked. Buddy rolled his eyes and pushed Andy back down on the leather couch, careful of the lit candle.

"Make a wish and blow it out and I'll tell you," he said. Andy closed his eyes tightly, then opened them and blew the fire out.

He looked over at Buddy, his face a puzzle.

"Oh, okay, I guess I'll have to tell you after all. Today is the one year anniversary of us moving in together," Buddy said, a little disappointed that Andy hadn't remembered.

"Hey now, no long face, my love. You know, if you smile, I think I have something for you..." Andy promised, touching Buddy's face. He put his hand in his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope, handing it to the other man. Buddy took it, slit the top open and read the card.

His eyes got huge, looking from the card to Andy's eyes and back.

"You...you pretended you didn't remember our anniversary just to mess with me!" Buddy shouted.

"Yep," Andy said, pulling his lover into his arms and kissing him.

"So not fair!" Buddy complained.

"Nope."

"Andy!"

Andy grinned, kissing Buddy once more and taking his hand. He led him to the bedroom, then slowly removed all of his clothes, one piece at a time. He took his own off, kissing and touching Buddy in between buttons and zippers, until they were naked on the bed and tangled into each other's arms.

"I could never forget our anniversary, Buddy...you know that. To be given _this_ gift in life? I pray I never forget how lucky I am," he said into his lover's skin as he kissed down his neck, watching the shivers run across his skin.

"Yeah, I know..."

"I was thinking..." Andy whispered, running his finger down Buddy's cheek, tracing his lips before he kissed him once again.

"You were thinking?"

"There is something we have never done...and maybe we could try it in celebration of our anniversary?" Andy said, knowing Buddy would understand exactly what he was talking about.

"We've talked about it...but, are you sure? Neither one of us has done it, and we keep putting it off," he said, looking deep into Andy's eyes to make sure he was suggesting it because he wanted it, not to just please Buddy. Andy's eyes were beautiful, as always, his pupils big and the iris' a clear hazel-brown the color of whiskey. His eyelashes were long, thick and he fluttered them without thought when he was nervous.

"Hey, Bambi," Buddy said, a small smile breaking across his face.

"Bambi?"

"Your eyelashes, they make you look like Bambi," Buddy laughed and leaned forward to tickle him.

Andy laughed, but it didn't last long as he rolled Buddy over on his back and lay down over him to kiss him senseless.

"Andy...?"

"Yes, my love?" Andy asked, rubbing along the ribs on his side as he kissed his throat.

"Andy...I am ready," he said seriously. He was tired of wasting time and the fear they had built up from not knowing exactly how to do something was waning in the light of how much they wanted it.

"Ready?"

"Yes, I'm ready now," Buddy declared. His skin rippled and his muscles trembled because the decision was so new, and Andy kissed him to steady him, but he was not changing his mind this time.

"Okay...shall I be on top or do you want to first?"

"I want you to, Andy, is that okay?" Buddy asked, very soft and shy but the sparkle in his eyes said more.

"Sure...sure," Andy agreed. Buddy smiled up at him and leaned up to kiss the corner of his mouth. Andy had never been so scared in all his life.

In the year they had spent together, the two men had been very intimate with each other, and the way they expressed their love grew from just the tentative, sweet kisses they shared in the beginning to fingers and tongues exploring anywhere they fit. It was common practice in the early 1960s for two gay men to have what they called a 'dry' date: which meant they oiled up the inner thighs of their partner and imitated the sex act, but with no penetration. While it was anything but 'dry', it felt good and was ultimately satisfying in some ways.

"Buddy...we can start here, I'll lay down a blanket," Andy offered, smoothing the old blanket down over the red chenille bedspread. He patted it, asking his lover to join him and Buddy sat down, a bit shy in the face of what he knew was going to happen. Andy was in no hurry, as much as he wanted to be inside Buddy, making him comfortable and able to enjoy the experience meant so much more. They lay down together, and it started like any evening – with quiet little words, shy kisses that traveled down muscles to forbidden spaces. Andy knew how to calm Buddy and he used all of his charms to do just that.

Buddy kissed Andy back, his hand lingering on Andy's cock when he felt him getting hard. He stroked for a while, careful not to get him too aroused. Andy's attention to Buddy's own erection was distracting and Buddy didn't want this to end before it even began.

"Andy...it's...oh...can we do it now?"

"Yes, just...ahhhh, let me warm the oil first, my love," Andy said, pouring the mineral oil into his palm. He held it there, watching as Buddy squirmed closer, then turned his back and lay on his side. Andy's hand went around his waist, cradling Buddy's body and holding him close - kissing the little hairs on the nape of his neck as he slid his finger down to rest between his buttocks.

Buddy hummed, pushing his hips back to hurry his partner along. Andy massaged slowly, working the muscle open as he had read in the latest book Buddy's friend, Devon, had given them. Andy had no idea where these gifts came from, but the elusive Devon had given Buddy several. This last one was a lot more informative than the previous ones.

"More...please, Andy..." Buddy asked, his voice so quiet that Andy almost didn't hear him – but he knew what he needed to do next and was as gentle as he knew how. Buddy swallowed, anxious to bring some moisture to his mouth after his panting breath dried it out. He surrendered to Andy, his skin feeling too thin and his body too open and vulnerable as the level of arousal crept up and up and up...

A while later, Buddy was as ready as he could possibly be and it was time. His voice was now only a begging whine, his head tending to toss back and forth on the pillow as his hand went down to hold himself from time to time, just to ease the pressure.

"Okay, I'm going to..." Andy started to say, but words failed him as he brushed his oil-slickened cock across Buddy's open entrance. He pressed there, and jumped as Buddy howled.

"Oh! Was it too much?" Andy asked, pulling back and looking intently at Buddy's face.

"No...it was just, I've been anticipating and it was so warm and soft and hard and...don't stop," he begged, undone with the emotion of the night.

Andy moved back, gently rubbing Buddy's soft skin, this time moving slower as he stroked his cock, feeling the need behind the arousal before introducing his firm erection to the hidden skin between his lover's cheeks. Buddy sighed as if a great burden had been removed from him, pushing his face into Andy's neck to kiss and lick the salty skin to keep his mind at ease as he waited for what would come next.

As gentle as Andy could be, it was still the end of Buddy's virginity and it was still more than he had ever had to stretch that muscle, so it was inevitably a little painful – but Buddy stood up to it and his craving for having Andy inside him overcame the uncomfortable parts and accentuated the pleasure.

"Andy...yes, there..._there_...don't stop...please..." Buddy threw words out without knowing what he was saying, just living on the sparks of pleasure and the emotional high of knowing that he was Andy's and Andy was his...so he could not really be at fault when his orgasm was right in front of him and he could do nothing to stop it. He let himself go and the flowing lava of his senses made him stiffen his muscles, curling his toes as he gasped for air and came in great waves of heat and pleasure.

Andy was surprised, he had no real warning and suddenly it was like Buddy's muscles were clutching and squeezing at him from all directions and the strong muscles spasmed in Buddy's release – which triggered the same thing in Andy. He held on to Buddy, so tightly he left bruises on his arms, and tried to take a breath that wouldn't come. The mist came down over him and he couldn't see or hear, he just let it happen and the heat exploded in a way that dry fucking had never given him. This was real. He pushed himself to experience it all, the shock waves to the love he felt bursting forth for Buddy, and even though he never believed he could love him any more – suddenly he did.

An hour later, they lay on the bed, the window open to see the moonlight and the stars, still in each other's arms.

"Andy? I didn't think I could ever love you more...but I do."

"I love you, too."

"And we'll be together forever, won't we?"

"Forever. It's always been forever for me."


	7. Chapter 7 - The Dog

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Seven – The Dog**

**Lima, Ohio - August 2011**

"Miss Brenna has company right now, Kurt. Maybe you could come back tomorrow?" the nurse said as Kurt walked down the hall to her room.

"I'll just step in and wave then," he said, curious as to who her visitors might be.

He stepped in Brenna's room and, seeing three young women, all wearing white lacy dresses and looking very much alike.

"Kurt! So good to see you, honey," Brenna said, greeting her friend. "Come in, meet the Addison sisters: Flora, Violet, and Myrtice. I was their nanny years ago."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Kurt Hummel," he said, shaking hands with the three giggling women. "It is nice to see you, Miss Brenna, but I think I'll take my leave. I can come back later and visit."

"Okay, Kurt. I look forward to it," Miss Brenna dismissed him, so enthralled with her guests.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Kurt walked back down the hall, feeling rejected even though he knew Brenna loved him. He was jealous and he knew it. And he was not proud of that at all. His feet took him down the next hallway where he heard someone singing:

"_I'll be there when you're feeling down  
To kiss away the tears if you cry  
I'll share with you all the happiness I've found  
A reflection of the love in your eyes."_

He thought he had heard that song before, but it was buried somewhere in the back of his mind and he couldn't quite place it. He followed the sound, not really surprised to find the voice belonged to Andy. He stood at the door, feeling that he was intruding somehow, even though it was plain that Andy was alone in his room.

When the verse ended, Kurt knocked on the door frame.

"Huh? Oh! Young Mr. Kurt Hummel, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" he asked, a bright smile highlighting his lips.

"I heard you singing...you have a beautiful voice, sir," Kurt said, mainly because it was true.

"It isn't what it used to be, let me tell you," Andy said, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks. "Seventy years can have a toll on your voice if you don't take care of it."

"But you sounded so good...where have I heard that song before?" Kurt asked. It had hit a nerve with him, sending shivers down his spine in a way he didn't understand.

"Oh, you probably are mixing it up with another song. I doubt you have heard this one," Andy tried to dismiss it.

"No...I think I know the words," he said, amazed at himself. Where had he heard it? And heard it enough times that he knew the words because they were in his brain now. Without thought, he started singing:

"_I'll walk in the rain by your side  
I'll cling to the warmth of your hand  
I'll do anything to keep you satisfied  
And I'll love you more than anybody can."_

Andy looked at Kurt, a glimmer of a smile gracing his face. A few tears were burning and stinging their way to the surface, but he managed to control them.

"Well, what do you know..." he breathed, stars now dancing in his eyes. Kurt looked at him, feeling a bit strange.

"Who sang it?" Kurt asked, thinking that knowing the artist might spur his memory of when or where he heard it before.

"Nobody...sorry...nobody," Andy said, now looking distraught. Kurt came over and sat next to Andy's chair.

"What's wrong? Did I say something to upset you? I didn't mean to," he said, feeling bad he had upset his new friend.

"No, Kurt," Andy said, laying his hand on top of Kurt's, letting it linger there as he looked on. "I'm fine. Hey, what happened here?" he asked, touching Kurt's cheek and turning his head to see the bruise more clearly.

"Nothing...just a little accident," he tried to brush it off. Andy's grip on his arm got very tight.

"Listen, Kurt. I would like to be your friend. I like you, but we can't be friends if you tell me lies. Understand? You can tell me anything, you can keep anything to yourself - -but don't _ever_ lie to me. Okay?" he asked, his voice desperate.

"No, Andy...I promise. I won't lie to you. No, it was a boy - a bully. He was taunting me at school and it got worse. I said some things that I probably shouldn't have said and he lost his temper. I paid the price for shouting out what was on my mind. I need to learn to be quiet," Kurt said. He hung his head, knowing he was wrong to try and fight them.

"No, Kurt...you should always stand up for yourself. Just know how to run next time. Is this all they did to you?"

"No. They kicked me and a few other things...but I got away. It has been much worse in the past," Kurt told him. It felt good to tell someone, he didn't want to tell his dad.

"You know you can come to me anytime, right? I have a great shoulder to lean on, Kurt. I have the feeling you're worth it," he said, laying his hand back on Kurt's arm and squeezing.

"You know, Andy...I think the truth thing goes both ways, right?" Kurt asked, still feeling kind of funny.

"Yeah, I guess it does. Why?" Andy asked.

"Who sang that song?" he asked again, this time his blue eyes searched for and found Andy's hazel ones and they locked together.

"I wrote that song. In 1965, for someone I loved very much," he confessed.

"Then why do I know the words?" Kurt asked, puzzled still.

"I don't know, Kurt. I don't know," the old man said, breaking eye contact and shaking his head. "I get confused sometimes, kid. I know I wrote that song, and I know I only ever sang it to the person I wrote it for. It makes no sense that you know the lyrics, but I believe you when you say you do. I guess there are things in this old world that we don't understand, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Kurt agreed, a funny pain in his chest easing a little as he sat and talked to Andy.

After that, Kurt would often visit Andy when Brenna was busy. As she got sicker, she would ask him to go visit Andy instead. She got tired easily now and so many of the children she had helped to raise would come to see her and tire her out more. As far as Kurt knew, he was the only one that came to see Andy.

"Hi, kid," Andy greeted him one Saturday morning.

"Andy, how are you today?"

"Just fair. I was wondering if I might ask you for a favor?"

"Sure, anything, just name it," Kurt replied, anxious to be of any service to his new friend.

"I can't seem to read anymore. They are going to do cataract surgery, the doctor told me, but in the mean time I can't see to read. Could you maybe read to me?" he asked. "I can pay you."

"First of all, you will not pay me!" Kurt said, sounding offended. "Second, of course I can read to you. What would you like me to read?"

"Vickie reads the newspaper to us in the morning at breakfast, but I find myself wishing I could go back to the days when I lost myself in books. It doesn't have to be any particular book – mystery, western, drama, fantasy. Anything. What is popular now?"

"Well, I know most people liked the Harry Potter books. Did you ever read those?"

"No. I heard about them, and I saw a movie of the first one, but it's hard for me to watch a movie. I can't see the screen very well. Is it possible for you to read me one of those?" Andy asked, a smile on his face now.

"Sure. I have the whole set. I'll bring in the first book tomorrow morning, okay?" Kurt asked, excited to have a project to look forward to. Plus, he got to share one of his favorite books with Andy.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Several months later, Kurt was reading the fourth Harry Potter book to Andy one day. He came five days a week now, the school day stretching out forever until he could come to Kenton Home to share time with Andy.

"Kurt, something is wrong, isn't it?" Andy asked, concern wrinkling his old face.

"No...why do you ask?"

"Kurt. You know our agreement," he said, seeming indignant that Kurt would try to get something past him.

"Okay, yes. Something did happen last night."

"_AAAUugggh!" Kurt huffed, unable to stop the noise his lungs made as he hit the backstop of the baseball park. He closed his eyes, wondering why on earth he thought it would be safe to walk home this way. His car had failed to start and a look under the hood found a missing distributor cap. He looked through the cardboard box of old parts like belts and spark plugs that he kept in the back of the SUV - just in case he needed something, but no distributor cap. _

_The fat boy that had pushed him into the backstop wasn't done, so Kurt balled up, placing an arm in back of his neck and his chin to his chest to try and minimize damage. He prayed someone might walk by, but it was fall and nobody was playing baseball in the park any more this year._

"_Stand up and fight like you aren't a pussy," the boy said. Kurt might have gotten up, but there were three other boys there, and they were among the bullies that routinely tossed him into dumpsters and smashed him into walls or lockers at school. One of them had tripped him last year during an assembly and he fell off the stage and broke his wrist._

_It was not too long before his savior came, though it was not in a form he had been imagining. It was a big, shaggy dog. Long legs ran under a rough brown and gold coat, a heavy head and large liquid brown eyes. The huge dog must weigh close to 200 pounds. He loped over, sniffing as he went and stood next to Kurt, showing his teeth to the tormentors. For once they paused, looking at the dog._

"_That your mutt, Hummel?" the fat boy asked._

"_No...never seen him before, but he seems to have taken a dislike to you," Kurt said. He could never keep his sarcastic mouth shut._

"_Call him off, faggot, or I'll cut him," the boy dug a switchblade out of his pocket and brandished it at the dog. _

"_I told you – it's not my dog," Kurt snapped, trying to get enough breath to stand up and try to make a get away while the dog was distracting the bullies._

_The cowards started to move away when the dog stood up, pacing back and forth, his eyes challenging them. One step towards Kurt and the dog lunged, the boy barely getting back in time as the dog's teeth snapped together on thin air. He growled low in his throat and lowered his head, ears back. The bullies took off across the dark park._

_The dog came back to Kurt's side, licking across his cheek, and barking once. Kurt startled, the noise was incredibly loud so close to his ear. His hands automatically covered his ears and he closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes a split second later, the dog was gone._

I know that sounds like a story, but it isn't. I've never seen that dog before – he was huge. He was maybe part St Bernard, but..."

"Maybe part Buick?" Andy asked, a smirk on his lips.

Kurt laughed. "Yeah, he just might be. I've never seen a bigger dog in my life. He just came out of nowhere, scared the boys off, and when I blinked my eyes he was just gone. Evaporated. I wasn't sure for a few minutes I'd seen him at all."

"I suppose it was just luck. Maybe the dog had a soft heart for the underdog?" Andy laughed at his joke, and Kurt tried to join in but it was too close to his fears and the laughter died on his lips.

Andy saw that and put his hand on Kurt's arm.

"Just be thankful ol' Buck came along, don't hurt your head trying to figure it out, Kurt. Just let it go," Andy said. Kurt nodded, still confused, and got the book out of his messenger bag. He settled into the chair and opened the book to the place he had marked and started to read.

~~~KB~~~

Kurt walked down the hallway of Kenton Manor. He walked slowly, his heart dragging. He'd gotten the call last night from Andy. Miss Brenna had fallen asleep and forgot to wake up, he said. Kurt knew another woman in his life was gone. More than simply 'gone', she was dead.

He tried to make it hurt less by telling himself that she had lived a long and happy life, that he had given her moments that she cherished when he came and sang old Irish tunes for her, or made her Dublin coddle. He hoped with all of his heart that she was somewhere up in heaven, sitting with his grandmother who had been her childhood friend.

He closed his eyes and sent her a thought: Please, tell my mom and my gramma that I miss them and I love them.

Andy was sitting in one of the rooms that Kenton celled "Parlors". He was at the old piano, playing "Wild Mountain Thyme" and Kurt couldn't help but sing along. This was one of his mom's favorite songs and it brought back memories. Good ones.

"Are you coming to the funeral with me tomorrow?" Andy asked, his face sad. He had been close to Miss Brenna.

"Yes. Will you sit with me?" Kurt asked and Andy promised.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

After the funeral the next day, Kurt went back to Kenton with Andy and sat in his room. They were both so sad that there was no conversation and finally Kurt offered to read to Andy for a while.

An hour and a half later, it was time to go home. Kurt came to the end of the chapter, placing the bookmark in the pages and shutting the book.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Andy," he said.

"Kurt? Can you maybe help me before you leave?" Andy asked. He had wanted to ask this for weeks now and finally gathered the courage to do so.

"Sure, what can I do?" Kurt asked, ever anxious to help in any capacity.

"My old joints are so sore, can you just help me stand up? My hip tends to fall asleep and makes me unsteady on my feet. I just need a hand to get over to sit on my bed," he said, his eyes hopeful.

Kurt set his things down and was there immediately. He held out his arms and steadied Andy's body as he stood up, then walked by his side to the bed. When he turned to face Kurt, the boy slipped his arms around Andy's torso so he couldn't fall.

Andy leaned forward, his arms going automatically around Kurt's strong shoulders, he pulled Kurt tight in his embrace and hugged him with his whole body, his arms shaking. Andy had no idea he would get this emotional, and now he was afraid Kurt would be uncomfortable – but he couldn't make himself let go.

He missed being touched by another human being. The nurses took care of him here, but it was not the same as having someone to love -and Andy craved love more than most people. The man he spent his life loving was gone and left behind a space so void and empty that Andy wondered some day if he could make it one more day.

He had been on the verge of doing something about it the day he met Kurt, and it was Kurt's smile that brought him back from that vast desert of hopelessness.

Andy's trembling shoulders told Kurt that he was crying, and Kurt's soul reached out and held him tighter, still gentle, but tight and strong and sure. He held the old man close to his chest, rubbing his cheek on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Andy, I'll be here for you. I'm never going to leave you. I promise," Kurt whispered, trying to reassure the man, trying to make him believe that he would stand steadfast and loyal for as long as Andy needed him. It was just a few moments longer when Andy seemed to wilt a little, his muscles relaxing. Kurt guided him to the bed, helping him under the covers and tucking him in warm.

"I'll be back tomorrow, Andy," he said as Andy's hand gripped his as though he never wanted to let go. "I promise, I'll never leave you," Kurt reassured him.

Andy was almost asleep, the emotional storm in his chest making him too tired to stay awake. He pulled Kurt's hand up close, placed a kiss on the back of it with a wistful smile, his eyes already closed in drowsy sleep.

"I know you'll never leave me, Buddy. I know, baby," Andy muttered as he fell into a deeper sleep.

Kurt looked at him a minute, confused, but he was grateful for the old man. He gave Kurt someone to care about, someone who cared about him, a friend when he had need of one so desperately. He glanced over at Andy once more before he left for the night and saw the sweet smile remaining on Andy's still-soft lips.


	8. Chapter 8 - Dancing Together

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Eight – Dancing Together**

**Lake Stewart, Ohio – August 1969**

"Buddy? Over here!" Andy shouted, looking to see where Buddy had disappeared. They were staying at the cabins where their families had met so long ago, near the lake.

"I'm coming!" Buddy called back, a picnic basket in tow as he walked down the pathway to the table near the lake.

Buddy had packed a feast it seemed...cheese and wine, grapes and chicken on toasted rustic bread. He put the cloth on the table and went about setting two places, then laid out the food. Andy's eyes got big, he hadn't been expecting such a beautiful meal, they were only going to swim in the lake, after all.

"This is so gorgeous!" he praised, coming up in back of Buddy to put his arms around his lover and kissed him on the neck.

"Hey, be careful. You never know who can see us, Andy," Buddy said, the fear clear in his voice. Buddy had been bullied in school. He hadn't let it be known that he was homosexual, but the other boys had teased him for being 'feminine' – his clear skin, the amount of time he spent on his hair, his care with anything he touched...then it was his lack of enthusiasm for sports and fast cars. He was a loner and the pack didn't like it.

Andy had gotten by because he did love sports and he could run like the wind. He had lettered in track, and his letter jacket was a shield that kept him safe. He and Buddy had gone to different schools, but saw each other enough that Andy was aware of what went on in Buddy's life. He had, in their senior year, talked Buddy into going to Andy's school and the year went smoothly, mostly owing to their friendship masking any idiosyncrasies that Buddy had.

The years of being bullied had left their mark on Buddy, though. He still cringed when he was near large crowds of people, still jumped in front of Andy if some sort of danger might be present. It was just instinct and each time it hit Andy how brave Buddy was – and how scared of the world he remained, even to this day almost 30 years later.

"Buddy?"

"Yeah.."

"We're pretty isolated here, I think we're okay," Andy said gently.

"I...I just want to be safe," Buddy said, drawing away.

Andy wanted to follow him, wanted in the worst way to hold him close, kiss him and reassure him, but he knew that would only make the situation so much worse. He'd seen Buddy have an anxiety attack before and he didn't want to be the cause of it again. It had taken weeks of coaxing to get Buddy to agree to share a cabin with him. So, in the end Andy accepted that it had to be this way and he sat and ate with Buddy, knowing that tonight in the cabin they could be themselves once again.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Buddy...thank you for making such a wonderful supper," Andy said, leaning back on the settee by the fire, Buddy lying back in his arms. They came in and put away the dishes and things, deciding to sing for a while. Andy had played his guitar and Buddy sang along.

"Why don't we go out and take a quick dip in the lake?" Buddy asked. He didn't like to show off in front of anybody else, but they hadn't seen another soul for days. It seemed the cabin was as isolated as the brochure claimed it was.

"Sure, I'd love to," Andy smiled.

Out on the dock, the men sat together and just looked across the water to see the moon's reflection.

"Look at the stars!" Buddy said, excited to see so many.

"They seem to go on forever, don't they?"

"It's because there are no city lights to compete, I think," Buddy said, rolling his eyes at Andy.

Andy leaned forward, looking into the water. The moon was out, but not full yet. Still, they could see fairly well in the dim light. Andy slipped into the water, just a small splash as he sank momentarily before bouncing back to the surface. He shook his head to release the water from his curls – spraying drops of water all over Buddy.

"Hey, Anderson! Stop it," he said and slipped into the water beside his friend.

He splashed just a bit up into Andy's face and giggled when Andy sneezed and grabbed him.

Buddy relaxed into Andy's arms, snaking his own up and around his neck. Andy pulled him in close, kissing him thoroughly before he felt Buddy's fingers busily undoing the string on his swim trunks. Andy feigned ignorance as he kissed him again, then little kisses down his cheek to his neck. He felt his trunks loosen around his waist and grabbed them before they sank to the bottom of the lake bed.

He reached for Buddy's to undo them, but found they weren't even there. What was there was warm and excited and poking him in the belly, so he eased his fist around it, stroking and loving the feel of the slickness as his hand moved with no friction. He felt Buddy's hand doing the same thing, and the contrast of the cool water to the hot flesh was delicious.

He moved in the water, going around Buddy and behind him to pull him closer, his hand returning to Buddy's erection and he pushed until his own cock was warm in the crevice between Buddy's butt cheeks. Buddy let out a groan, both of surprise and satisfaction at the intrusion.

Andy kissed Buddy's neck, licking under his ear and nibbling a bit to cover Buddy's flesh with goosebumps. He loved the way his boyfriend giggled at the tickling sensation. Rubbing his cock hard against Buddy, it wasn't long before it began to slip inside. There was plenty of mineral oil there to ease the stroke, due to a quick session after they got home and got carried away when they were changing clothes.

"Are you too sore, Buddy?" Andy whispered into his ear, not wanting to make him any more sore.

"No, it feels good, baby...just be slow, okay?" Buddy asked. And Andy was – as slow and careful as he could be. He was tender and gentle, letting Buddy set the pace to his inner rhythm. They had all night. Andy let his hand around Buddy's cock adapt to that very same rhythm, like a dance under the moonlight, that lasted for so long...Buddy humming the song that Andy wrote for him. Andy looked over, expecting to see those big blue eyes looking back, but they were closed -a beautiful smile dawning on his face as Andy pushed in and out.

They stayed that way for a long time, just moving to the gentle rhythm going on inside their heads, until Andy could feel Buddy beginning to stiffen a little, reaching back to put his hands behind Andy's neck and held on, his hips now entering the dance as the pressure built up in both of them – hotter and hotter, pressure that made them each moan and struggle to get closer, stroke harder, whisper encouragement to each other.

Suddenly he could feel Buddy squeeze him tighter, his hands gripping harder, his head thrown back as he groaannned out his climax. Andy was right behind him, the rhythmic squeezing pushing him over.

When it was done, Buddy turned and fell into Andy's loving arms, holding him tight.

It was good that was the last day at the lake because neither of them had packed two pairs of swimming trunks.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Andy!" Buddy shouted as he walked into the apartment.

"I'm in the music room," Andy called back. He set his guitar down and stood up to greet his partner.

"You'll never guess what happened today!"

"What?"

"I got promoted. You are now looking at the new head of the Art Department!" Buddy grinned, jumping up and down in place.

"Oh, my stars! You got it!" Andy picked him up and swung him around the room. "I am so happy for you!"

"I was sure I didn't get it...you know Sally was almost a shoe in, but somehow they picked me. And Sally came and gave me a hug anyway. Oh, I'm walking on clouds, Andy!"

"This calls for a fancy supper. I'll call and make reservations – what kind of food do you want? Steakhouse? Chinese? Italian?" Andy asked, although he already knew where Buddy would choose.

"The Normandy!"

Andy was right. He called and made reservations at the small restaurant, asking that champagne be put on ice.

An hour later, Buddy stepped out of his bedroom, dressed in his best suit, a pale gray with a charcoal shirt and a blue skinny tie. Andy was wearing his blue suit and they looked good together as they stepped out to go to supper.

They had French onion soup, thick with melted cheese and then came the Chateaubriand for two along with the champagne. It was lovely as the violinist played a song just for Buddy, as requested by Andy. They strolled home, walking through the park and singing. Some people stopped to look, but just shrugged their shoulders, thinking the pair were probably drunk.

They got home and shed their good clothes, hanging them up and meeting in the living room to watch the television. The public station was showing a concert, so the men danced together to the music – dancing close and kissing.

"Andy, I have a question, but I might be afraid to ask..." Buddy said quietly as they moved across the hardwood floor. Andy smiled at Buddy.

"You know you can ask me anything, my love. Just say it out – don't try to couch it in pretty words, honey," he said, a shiver crossing his spine as he saw the worried look on Buddy's face.

Buddy, kept dancing. He thought it over again, but the words he needed were stubbornly refusing to appear in his brain. He shook his head, maybe something would dislodge this blockage in his thought process.

Andy watched and it was painful to see Buddy trying so hard to get it out. Andy knew this happened sometimes, and each time he wished he could do something, anything to help. Although he also knew from prior experience that Buddy's mind would come up with a way to tell him eventually and asking would just make it worse. He moved his hand over, gathering Buddy closer to him and laid his head on his lover's shoulder. Buddy sighed as he relaxed against Andy, leaning his head against his partner's as they continued to glide across the floor.

The music ended, but the two men continued to move together, now listening to the song in their hearts.

"Let's go to bed, okay?" Andy asked, kissing Buddy's cheek.

Without a word, Buddy let go and walked to the bedroom, removing all but his jockey shorts and climbing into their bed. Andy allowed him a few minutes, went into the bathroom to brush his teeth once again and wash his face. He slipped off all but his underwear and listened to be sure Buddy wasn't crying. He opened the medicine cabinet, taking out two aspirin and got a glass of water.

"Hey, Buddy. I brought you some aspirin for your headache," Andy said.

"How did you know?" Buddy asked, pulling the blanket and sheet back to let Andy in bed.

"You had that look – your forehead was wrinkled, you had a frown. I could tell something was bothering you even before you said anything, my love," Andy said, reaching out to take the glass back and set it beside the bed on a small table. He touched Buddy's head lightly with his fingers, stroking along the tops of his eyebrows and down over his temple. He stroked again and again, gentle and tender. Buddy laid back, his head on the extra-soft down pillow Andy had gotten him for his birthday. It had lavender inside with the goose down, and the scent of it was good for his headaches. He closed his eyes and tried his best to relax. He wasn't tired – not in a sleepy sort of way, but tired of carrying around the burden of what he had to ask Andy. He recognized, finally, that it was not going to go away until he had said it, so he gathered his courage and just spilled it all out.

"Andy...I'm afraid that because my work is here in Westerville that I am holding you back."

There, he said it. He waited for what Andy would say...not wanting to hear it but needing to get this done with. He'd been thinking about it for weeks now and the promotion at the ad agency made it so clear to him.

"Oh, Buddy. You are not holding me back from anything! I love you. I am fine writing songs...you know I've been able to sell anything I write, there is no reason for us to move to New York or Los Angeles. I can do anything I want right here in Westerville," Andy said desperately. He was so afraid that Buddy would blame himself to the point he'd leave, and Andy knew his life would be over if he lost Buddy.

"That isn't true. You can sell the songs, but it should be you singing them. You can't be a star on stage in Westerville, you have to go somewhere to sing to crowds and to cut records and be seen!" Buddy was distraught, turning over so he wasn't looking at Andy any more. He knew the tears were coming and he didn't want Andy brushing them away and then kissing him...he couldn't think when he did that. He had finally gotten up the courage to tell Andy – he didn't want that to be sabotaged because he was sure he couldn't gather that much courage ever again.

"Buddy...I'm never, never going to leave you and you're going to have to come up with one hell of a reason for me to go to another city without you," Andy said, his arms trembling with emotion. He could see what it had taken for Buddy to say that, and he didn't want to break him – but he would never let Buddy go. Not unless the man stopped loving him, and he knew that could never happen.

"You have to go, Andy. You have these big dreams, ones you have had since you were 15 for God's sake. You will end up..." Buddy stopped cold, refusing to look or answer Andy.

"I'll end up what?" Andy asked for maybe the tenth time. Buddy shook his head. He must have spaced out...he better answer Andy, his voice was starting to sound desperate.

Buddy sat up, twisting so he was facing Andy, but no part of him was touching him.

"What? Tell me what you were going to say, Buddy, Pleeeaaase," Andy said, taking Buddy's hands in his own strong ones.

Buddy slumped down, he hung his head for a moment, not wanting to finish this. But it was necessary. He took a great lungful of air and raised his chin, looking into Andy's hazel-brown eyes when he realized that he could say anything to Andy, and he would understand.

"I don't want you to end up hating me because I was the cause of you missing the chance you need to have your dream. Staying with me, here in Westerville...you can't have your dream of being a singing star here. As for me, well, I can be a big fish in this tiny pond. In New York or Los Angeles? I would be a very tiny queer fish in a huge lake. I don't know if I could be that, Andy. I don't. And I feel wretched that I can't give up my career to follow you there...that's the worst part, Andy. I can't lose you. You are my life," he stuttered out, collapsing on the bed in a mess of tears and sobbing.

Andy sat still for a moment, contemplating how to fix this. He knew he was giving up being a singer when he bought the apartment three years ago, and it didn't matter to him then. His eyes were full of stars when he thought of Buddy, and he would choose Buddy over anything. But now they had been together for a few years, living together like a married couple, he hadn't thought about his missed chance – or if it was still a missed chance.

Andy got up, slipping on his robe and house slippers. He went into the living room, snapped his fingers at Buck and bid him go to Buddy. Closing the door behind the dog, he went to the liquor cabinet and took out the bottle of Glen Fiddich 15 year old Scotch Whisky. He took down a Riedel Vinum whisky glass and poured the golden liquid into the crystal.

Sitting on the balcony, Andy swirled the liquor around, putting it up to his nose to smell it before taking a very small sip. He moved the hot liquid around in his mouth, savoring the smoky flavor and swallowing it just to feel the burn down his throat. He took small sips, one after the other, as he thought about what Buddy had told him. He knew he was being cruel – leaving Buddy alone in his misery – but he didn't know what to do.

Time after time, Buddy had brought this up, though never so bluntly before. He had hinted at it, squirmed around it, denied it. The whole crux of the matter was that Buddy believed he had ruined Andy's chance to make it big as a singer and that in time Andy would come to blame him and hate him for it.

Andy had no such qualms. He knew what he was giving up when he proposed they live together. He knew it could never be like a heterosexual couple, they could not kiss in public, introduce each other as their spouse, or anything like that. But when he put those inconveniences up against being with Buddy every day, having him to cuddle with every night, being together and loving each other? No, Andy would pick Buddy every time because Buddy was _his life_. Nothing else could be said because _nothing else made sense_. Nothing.

Downing the last of the Scotch, Andy went into the bedroom. Buddy was lying in the middle of the bed, his arms around the neck of his dog. He was still crying, but it had evolved into a quiet, sobbing, wet mess. Andy snapped his fingers and Buck got off the bed, wagging his tail as he licked Buddy's face. He heaved his big body down in front of the fireplace and sighed very dramatically. Andy thought of how perfect the dog was for Buddy – they had the same sense of drama.

Andy sat down on the edge of the bed, slipping off the robe and slippers. He crawled up to the head of the bed and gathered Buddy close to his chest. Buddy snuggled close, knowing that he would feel protected and loved in these big, strong arms.

"Buddy, I understand what you are saying. I went and thought it over, knowing you didn't want me to just blurt out the first thing that crossed my mind."

Buddy looked up, catching the scent of the whisky that Andy only ever drank when he was pushed beyond his limits. He wasn't sure what that said, and he trembled in fear of what it might mean.

"I knew when I asked you to live here with me that we – us – _we_ would be making a decision that was probably going to last the rest of our lives. I drank three tumblers of that same bottle of Scotch the night before I asked you. I have not changed my mind," he said softly. He put his palm to Buddy's cheek, stroking down to his chin and leaving him a chaste kiss on his rosy pink lips.

"Andy..." was all Buddy could say. He rubbed his other cheek against Andy's chest, feeling the soft hair that grew there. He could smell the spicy scent of his after-shave, more of the strong smoky odor of the whisky, and the light scent of Andy's sweat. He drank in the scent as much as he could, wondering if one day he might not be able to smell it again.

"Buddy, I don't know how many ways I can tell you, how I can make you believe that I mean it when I tell you that you, _you,_ are the love of my life. There will not, _could not_ be anyone or anything that I love more than you," he stopped, not wanting to let the emotion into his voice yet, nor open the floodgates to his tears. He had to get through this.

"I don't want you to ever doubt me again, Buddy. _Never_. I don't want you to imagine anything else, or let any more doubts enter your head about us. The only way we are going to be apart is if you want it. Do you want us to break up, Kurt Elijah Hummel?" Andy demanded.

Buddy sat up. In all the years since they met, Andy had never used his full name. Buddy knew that Andy was aware of it, but he called him 'Buddy' just like his dad did, just like everyone did. He looked at Andy, knowing he must be pushed to his limit to speak to him like this.

"No...Andy, no. Without you? My life wouldn't be worth living," he whispered into Andy's chest as he hugged him as close as he could.

"Kurt...Buddy...my love, mine wouldn't be worth it without you. Understand? There is no contest between anything a big city could give me...and what you give me. It will always, _always_, be you."

Buddy pressed himself against Andy, getting as close as he possibly could to him.

"It will always be you for me, too, Blaine Devon Anderson III. Forever...into the next life and beyond, just you and me."


	9. Chapter 9 - Trust

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Nine – Trust**

**Lima, Ohio – April 2012**

"Why haven't you joined the choir at your school?" Andy asked Kurt.

"Ah...I don't do extra curriculars at my school, Andy. You know that," Kurt said in dismay. He wasn't in a very good mood and answering the same questions he had argued with Andy about were not making him any less cranky.

"I'm not suggesting you do anything after hours, I understand why you wouldn't want to be in the school after most people had left for the day. I am thinking you could take the show choir class with your friend, Mercedes. You told me she was your first friend at McKinley, right?"

"Yes. And she won't stop badgering me ever since she found out I'm a countertenor," Kurt sighed. The truth was that he would love to join the show choir, but he was afraid. Not of the everyday class, but of going on trips if they won. He wasn't even sure why he was so afraid of that -just that it was not something he could do.

"Hey, kid, quit thinking so loud. You're disturbing me," Andy said, feeling around and finding Kurt's shoulder to poke. He still had the bandages on from his cataract surgery. "Now, tell your old friend why you can't go to the class?"

"I'm scared. There, I said it, are you happy?"

"Not exactly, but it's better. I had a dear friend once and he was afraid of so much...for his whole life. I protected him too much, maybe, but it felt right at the time. I don't know any more if it was the right thing to do – to allow him that, but it's what happened for better or worse. Anyway, he never got over some things that happened in high school. Never. And I don't want that for you, Kurt. So, please indulge me in this one thing and join at the semester. It's just one class and you have to take a class anyway. What were you going to take?"

"Home Ec Three. Baking," Kurt said, ready for the storm that he knew was coming via Andy.

"What the fuck, Kurt?" Andy said. Then he froze. "Oh, kid, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that..."

Kurt laughed. "I say it myself sometimes."

"Honestly, Kurt. You bake like Betty Crocker married the Pillsbury Dough Boy and had a kid. Why on earth would you take that class?" Andy asked.

"Easy A?"

"Please. What about our discussion on getting ready for college? You want the best classes on your transcript, right? So, I think we can agree that Baking is out," Andy said, pushing up the bandage to try and scratch at his itchy eye. Kurt took his hand and gently pulled it away.

"None of that, Andy. You know what the doctor said."

Andy sighed. It was so hard on him, hearing Kurt's voice and knowing what he knew now. The young boy sounded so much like Buddy, it was like having his old friend back, plus it confused him at times.

"Say, Kurt... what about changing schools?" Andy asked.

"To where? I'm in McKinley's district. There are other high schools, but you have to live in the district to go there. Anyway, why would they be any different than McKinley?" he asked.

"I hadn't thought of that," Andy mumbled, his frustration with trying to help Kurt getting desperate. He knew Kurt needed a friend, and he'd tried to be that...but he just didn't feel as if he'd done enough.

"What's your whole name, Kurt? I don't know if you ever told me," Andy asked, suddenly curious.

"Kurt Elizabeth Hummel," he said.

"Elizabeth?"

"Yeah, well, I changed it. When my mother died, I changed it and as soon as I'm of age I will have it done legally," Kurt's look of defiance was lost on Andy's bandaged eyes.

"What was it before?"

"Elijah. Don't I look like someone who could bring fire from the sky, raise the dead and travel in a whirlwind on a chariot pulled by flaming horses?" he asked.

Andy laughed. "Kurt, my dear friend, I would not bet against you on any of those."

Kurt was laughing now, but he'd always disliked his middle name – even though he knew his mother did it to appease his Catholic grandmother, naming him after the biblical prophet.

Andy's hand went out, but he couldn't see, so he didn't know where exactly Kurt was. He started to bring it back to his side when a warm hand slid into his grip, fingers laced with his.

"Thanks, Andy, you don't know how much I appreciate your friendship," Kurt said very softly, trying to rein in his emotions.

"Oh, Kurt, you're welcome – but your friendship means just as much to me," he said, and in his heart he knew it was true. This boy was special to him. This boy was his own Buddy, come back to guide him to the next part of his life. He knew it in his bones and he wasn't wrong. He closed his eyes – even though the bandages still covered them – and thanked whomever was in charge because he missed Buddy. It was getting too hard to bear when Kurt strolled into his lonely life.

"Dad?" Kurt asked as he walked in the back door, hanging up his jacket and messenger bag.

"Oh, hi, son!" Burt's smile was bright and genuine. He missed coming home every day to Kurt in the kitchen, but he was glad the boy had found something that made him happy.

"I made tomato soup earlier and I thought we could have a nice salad and grilled cheese sandwiches for supper?" Kurt suggested.

"That sounds delicious, buddy, I'll go wash up and maybe I can help?"

"Sure, Dad."

During supper, Kurt got up his nerve and asked his dad a question:

"I was wondering if we can go on a picnic tomorrow?" he asked. It was nearing the end of summer and he had an idea.

"Sure, Kurt. What brought this on? We haven't had a picnic in years. Any idea where we might want to go?" he asked, grinning at Kurt.

"Not too far. Maybe the park outside town...Sanford Park? It isn't too crowded and they have good tables and the lake. I think it would be nice," Kurt said, a little nervous. He was tapping his thumb on his fingernails, a habit he hadn't gotten rid of yet. Burt moved his hand over and touched Kurt's hand, stopping the tapping.

"Okay, spill. What are you wanting to ask me?"

"I was wondering if I could bring a friend?" Kurt asked.

"Of course, Kurt. What? You have a boyfriend?" he asked, a bit more excited than he thought he would be at the thought of his son having his first boyfriend.

"No, Dad, not a boyfriend. It's someone I met at Kenton Manor Assisted Living. You remember I told you about Miss Brenna's friend, Andy?" Kurt asked. "Well, Andy had cataract surgery and he's been feeling down. I thought getting out and away from the nursing home might cheer him up?"

"Sure, bud, we can do that, as long as he has permission or whatever from the people in charge," he said.

"I can arrange that. I will go over first thing in the morning and find out what we need to do," he said, smiling at his father.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"And...here we are!" Kurt said, telling Andy all the things to be seen from the window of the Navigator.

They got him out of the SUV and sitting at the picnic table, then Kurt set out the food on a bright tablecloth.

"Oh, that smells so good!" Andy said, grinning. He wasn't sure exactly where Kurt was, but hoped he was facing the right direction. "I used to come here with a Buddy of mine," he said, his smile getting wider as he thought about it. "We would fish in the lake and eat the trout we caught. They used to stock this lake years ago, I don't know if they still do."

"Yeah, I think so," Burt said. He was beginning to like Andy. He'd had reservations at first, thinking it strange that an old man would make friends with a kid in school, but he had changed his mind. He cursed himself for always being so suspicious when it came to Kurt. Feeling guilty, he was going a bit overboard with being nice to Andy.

"Say, Kurt? Can you go back to the car and find my cane? I don't want to trip on the uneven path," Andy said. Kurt quickly set out walking back.

"Burt?" Andy said. He could hear the man turn and assumed he was listening.

"I don't blame you for being a little wary about me being friends with Kurt, and I don't know if you have reason to believe it, but I do not wish him harm. He is safe with me. I had a very close friend who was like Kurt, and in his memory I could never do any harm to your son. He is so kind to me, reading to me, making me baked goods. He has a kind heart and I couldn't do anything to take that away," Andy said.

"Thank you for saying that, Andy. I just...well, after losing his mother so early in life, he tends to cling to people and I worry. I hope you understand?" Burt asked.

"Yes, I do. I promise to be his friend. He needs me, Mr. Hummel."

"Yeah, I can see he does. Okay. Now, let's get the food out!" Burt said, removing the container of potato salad from the basket.

"Would you like to walk around the lake?" Kurt asked after they had eaten.

"Maybe not today, son," Burt said. "My knee is giving me fits again. I think I'll stay here and rest it."

"Andy?" Kurt asked.

"I don't know if I can walk that far...but I'm game to try," Andy accepted.

Kurt walked over to help him to his feet. He put Andy's hand on his elbow and tucked it in, ready to help if Andy felt unsteady on his feet. Andy smiled and thanked him.

"The fresh air...there is nothing as good as fresh air," Andy said, enjoying the slow walk around the lake.

"I love to come here – even if going to a park sometimes reminds me of that day the bullies caught up with me. I still wonder about the big dog...I mean, he disappeared in the snap of my fingers. I only blinked my eyes and he was gone," Kurt said.

"Oh, you might have mistaken the time, you said they threw you up against the backstop? You probably hit your head. I wouldn't give it any more thought," Andy soothed him.

They walked slowly around the small lake, and Andy was tired by the time they got back. Kurt helped him into the vehicle and they headed home.

After dropping Burt at their house, Kurt drove Andy back to Kenton. He helped the man in to his room, stopped by the nurses station to sign him in, and then went back to find the nurse had already gotten him ready for bed.

"Gosh, I didn't know it was so late!" Kurt teased. It was barely 4:00.

"Oh, Kurt. I was just tired from the walk, so I asked that she let me nap for a while," Andy said. Kurt went over to the bed and took Andy's hand in his own warm ones.

"Thank you for going with us, you made the day so much more cheerful and bright. Goodnight, Andy," Kurt said, leaning over. He kissed Andy's forehead and put a hand on his shoulder. "Sweet dreams, my dear friend."

"Thank you. Sweet dreams for you, too, Kurt."

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"I hope I didn't wear him out too much," Kurt said when he got home to his dad. He had a funny feeling in his stomach, a fear of some sort and he couldn't seem to shake it.

"Oh, I think he's fine. I could tell he was having a good time. So, when does he get the bandages off?" Burt asked.

"I don't know. I'll ask his nurse tomorrow. I'm off to bed, Dad. I'll see you in the morning," Kurt said and kissed his dad's cheek.

~ ~ ~ KB~ ~ ~

**Kenton Assisted Living Lima, Ohio**

"When does Andy get his bandages off from the cataract surgery?" Kurt asked Judy the next day. She was Andy's morning nurse.

"Cataract surgery? No, he didn't have cataract surgery. Who told you that?" she asked Kurt, looking at him strangely. He stood for a minute, then shook his head.

"I must be mistaken, I guess I assumed it because of his age," Kurt said.

A call button sounded down the hallway and Judy left with her pill cart to bring someone their morning medications.

Kurt looked around both ways, seeing if any staff member was in the hallway in front of the nursing station. He knew that Sunday mornings there were less nurses on duty. He crept around the counter to the files and slid out Andy's. There at the top was his name and room number. Kurt saw his real name was Blaine Devon Anderson. Hmmm. He opened the chart and leafed through the pages. Towards the end of the doctor's notes were some from the hospital. No mention of cataracts. Instead, there was something worse: "Patient is now blind, cause: severe diabetes". Further down the page were entries for other things: high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and cardiomyopathy.

Kurt felt ill. He put the file back and held on to the wall. The world spun around him, leaving him small and helpless. He made his way to the bathroom, locking the door behind him and just made it to the toilet to empty his stomach contents, then slid to the floor.

_No_. It must be someone else...it could _not_ be Andy. There, that was it. They must have changed rooms at some time and this 'Blaine' guy was somewhere else. Andy's chart must be somewhere else. Kurt got up, washed his face, combed his hair. He drank six paper cups of water. Feeling less shaky, he walked down the hall to Andy's room where he was still in bed.

"Judy?" Andy asked, looking pitiful as he turned his head, trying to hear if someone were actually in the room with him. He looked scared and Kurt rushed over to him, putting his arms around his friend and holding his head to his chest.

"No, Andy...it's me. It's Kurt," he said, hoping that was what Andy wanted to hear.

He felt Andy's muscles relax.

"Oh, Kurt. What time is it?"

"Eight. I came early today. What's wrong, Andy?"

"Nothing. I was just having a vivid dream. I was dreaming of you I think..., Buddy...yeah, like it used to be in the apartment, Buddy..." Andy mumbled.

Kurt looked at him, but realized the man was not really coherent. He held him close, waiting for him to wake up all the way. After a while, Kurt was getting tired and finally sat down on the bed beside the old man and Andy snuggled into his side as if he belonged there.

"Thank God you're here, Buddy, I missed you," he said, falling back asleep.

Kurt sat there for a very long time, stroking Andy's forehead, down his temple. Andy was asleep, but when Kurt tried to get up he held on tight, seemingly desperate to keep him there. Kurt decided it must be important, so he got comfortable on the bed beside Andy and fell asleep, too.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Kurt?"

Kurt swam up from sleep, still tired and confused for a moment until he realized he was lying in Andy's bed. Then it all came rushing back to him: the nurse's station, the file, the words he wished he could erase from his mind. He sat up, shaking his head to clear it and saw Andy was sitting beside him.

"Oh...I guess I fell asleep, Andy. Sorry," Kurt apologized, getting off the bed and sitting quickly in the chair beside the bed.

"No problem. I was dreaming about you, and thought you had come to comfort me after I had a nightmare. I woke up to see I was right, you were right here with me. Thank you, Kurt," Andy said, blushing a little bit.

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure, kid. What did you want to know?" Andy asked.

"What is your full name? I mean...you asked me the same question earlier," Kurt said.

"Blaine Devon Anderson."

"Oh, so Andy is short for Anderson?"

"Yeah, the guys at school used to call me that," Andy told him.

"I guess there really isn't a nickname for Blaine, is there?" Kurt laughed.

"No. I wasn't named after someone who could hurl fire from the sky, but …." Andy teased Kurt.

"Not all of us are great, some of us have greatness thrust upon us..." Kurt misquoted, giggling.

"You seem happy today, Kurt. What caused that?"

"I don't know. I was thinking about trying out for show choir, maybe," Kurt revealed. He was trying very hard not to let what he had read about Andy get to him.

"Oh, that is wonderful, Kurt. I know you won't regret it for a moment. Wait until you win your first competition! There is nothing like that feeling, let me tell you."

Kurt grinned and took Andy's hand. He had thought quite a bit about how to help Andy, even small things that made life easier. He imagined that it would be hard not to see – unable to read or watch TV, but the things he thought he would miss the most was touch. Just a simple pat on the back or having a hand to hold might make a huge difference in the life of a person, so he resolved to hold Andy's hand whenever it seemed appropriate.

"So, I know you wrote songs, what else did you do?" Kurt asked. Andy smiled.

"I sang, but never on stage. Just for friends and family. I loved it, but I lived in Westerville, Ohio – not exactly a Mecca for singers," he said.

"Did that make you sad – not to have the opportunity to sing?" Kurt asked because Andy was holding his hand so tightly all of a sudden.

"No. I gave it up for love. My love had to be here in Ohio, so I just never left. My friend was more important to me than a singing career. Besides, I got to hear my songs on the radio all the time. I was very successful, you know," Andy bragged a little.

"Tell me a few?" Kurt asked.

Andy rattled off about a dozen songs that Kurt had heard his father play on the oldies station, and quite a few he had heard himself.

"Wow, I had no idea! I am in the presence of a living legend," he said, in awe of all the songs Andy had written.

"It was a living, and most of those were what made the singers' careers. I was proud of that. It didn't seem to matter after a while – I could hear my music, I lived in a nice place with someone I loved. Who could ask for anything more?" Andy said, but the restlessness in his voice was evident. Kurt didn't know what to say. He held on to Andy's hand and willed the man to feel some sort of comfort from it.

"Andy? Would you like me to bring you a guitar? I have one, but I haven't learned to play it. We could sing some of your songs maybe?" Kurt offered. He hoped that wouldn't make Andy any sadder.

"Yeah, kid. I'd like that. Maybe bring it next time," Andy said and Kurt could hear how tired Andy was getting.

"Hey, I need to get home. Dad will wonder where I've disappeared to," Kurt said.

"Don't end a sentence with a preposition, Kurt. You would say 'Dad will think I disappeared, he will wonder where I am'...okay?"

Kurt laughed. "Yes, I do know that. Thanks, Professor Andy," he said, kidding the old man. Andy laughed.

"Okay, kid. Come see me soon. You can't imagine how much I look forward to seeing you, it means the whole world to me, Kurt. I mean that," Andy said, but his voice sounded congested, as if he were crying.

Kurt didn't know what to say. Did he know he had heart problems? What did the doctors say? Kurt decided to ask his father for some advice as soon as he got home.

"You mean the same to me, Andy. Thank you for being my friend," Kurt said, a single tear making it's way down his face. He closed his eyes and the next thing he knew, he could feel Andy's soft hand touching his cheek. Andy wiped the tear off with his thumb.

"Don't cry, Buddy. I'm here for you," he said.

Kurt stood up, not realizing that Andy was saying the name of his friend. He just thought it was a nickname like pal or kid. He leaned over and hugged Andy, who hugged him back with his shaking arms.

"Good bye for now, Andy. I'll be back tomorrow," Kurt said and left, wiping more tears from his eyes.


	10. Chapter 10 - Danger

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Ten – Danger**

**LaGuardia Airport, New York City – September 1972**

Buddy stepped off of the plane's walkway and into the terminal. He quickly looked behind him, his eyes searching for Andy. They couldn't hold hands in public, but he didn't want to find himself too far away from his lover. Andy meant safety to him.

"Hey, I'm right behind you!" Andy called, trying to get the strap of the overnight bag settled on his shoulder as he navigated the crowd disembarking from the plane.

They caught up with one another as they went to baggage claim.

"Should we take the subway or get a taxi?" Buddy asked.

"I think we'll just get a taxi – it's on the record company's dime after all," Andy said as they left the terminal to find a taxi.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"You don't think anyone was suspicious of us – getting one room instead of two?" Buddy asked.

"No, men travel all the time and share a hotel room. There are two beds, we just mess up the blankets in the other one and nobody will know the difference. Quit being so paranoid, Buddy. This is New York – we can be a little more free here," Andy assured his lover. He put out his hand and caressed Buddy's cheek, moving his thumb to touch the corner of his mouth.

Buddy pulled away, moving a little more away from Andy as they walked down the street. Nobody seemed to be watching the couple, but Buddy was still afraid. They went on in silence, Andy a bit irritated and Buddy nervous.

"I'm sorry, Andy," he said, contrite. He really didn't mean to be so fearful, but he just couldn't help himself.

Andy just kept walking. He knew Buddy couldn't help it, he knew _why_, but he had no idea how to address the problem. Guys were coming back from Viet Nam with the same issues, Andy read about in the newspapers. They were calling it 'Post-Viet Nam Syndrome', but it was the same thing: combat fatigue or shell-shock, what ever they called it. Andy wondered if that was what was wrong with Buddy. Even if he had never been in the military, he had fought his own war with the bullies in school and it seemed to have affected him just as much as if he'd been in the jungle or the Ho Chi Min Trail.

Buddy walked along, his head down, looking at his feet.

"Don't be sorry, Buddy. I do understand. We'll be fine. I have to go in and sign some paperwork, then we can go to lunch and do some sight-seeing. Okay?" Andy asked.

"Okay," Buddy agreed, feeling just a shade better.

Andy gave Buddy a big smile. "You can come in and wait in the reception area, they have sofas and magazines to read. I won't be long," Andy promised.

Buddy followed him in, sitting down on a blue plastic Eams chair in the lobby. After a while, he got up, pacing for a while. When the receptionist gave him an exasperated look, he walked outside and leaned against the bricks of the office building. He hated it when people looked at him like that. He decided to walk down to the corner to buy a newspaper to occupy his time.

On his way back, Buddy got a funny feeling, as if someone was following him. He walked faster, thinking this was broad daylight, would someone try to harm him?

"Hey, sissy boy!" he heard, but kept walking, a little faster now.

"Oy! Wait a second, I only wanted a light!" the voice came again. Buddy slowed down and turned to see a teenager standing there, his long hair greasy and unkempt. He had holes in his jeans and his boxer shorts showed through, and his T-shirt had a pack of Camels rolled up in his sleeve like it was 1954.

"I don't smoke, I'm sorry – I don't have a lighter," Buddy said, then turned to walk back to the record company's office. He could hear the boy was still there, and he had been joined by several more.

"Stop a minute, man, just wait up," he heard the boy say, then some mumbling as angry-sounding voices were heard.

Suddenly one of them jumped in front of Buddy, pushing him into the alley he was crossing.

"Wait, I think you're mistaking me for someone else," Buddy said, walking cautiously as the boys crowded him into a corner behind a dumpster.

"Oh, yeah...we thought you were Elvis," one of them snickered.

"No, he's Tricky Dick Nixon – be careful, he might want to draft you," another said. They pushed him back into the depths of the alley until he couldn't move any further, then they started throwing pebbles at him.

"Stop. Please...I didn't do anything to you. Why are you doing this?" he whimpered, covering his face with both arms.

"Because we saw you and your queer boyfriend walking in our neighborhood, that's why," the first one said.

"My what?" Buddy asked. "You must be mistaken..."

"Nope. Saw it all. You did everything but carry a purse. We don't want your kind around here," he said.

"But...wait..." Buddy started to say, but another boy came from behind the others. He was a big, burly kid and he was holding a bat.

"No, we're done talking," he growled and the last thing Buddy saw was the boy's tie-dyed T-shirt. It had a peace sign and said '_Love for All_' across the front.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Andy walked out of the record company's office. The receptionist said Buddy had headed east, having said something about going to get a newspaper. Andy couldn't see him when he looked down the street, but started walking that way in hope that Buddy had just stepped into a store or something. He could hear some kind of ruckus going on, but wasn't sure. Coming even with the alley, he glanced down to see a gang of kids swinging bats and fists at what looked like one person who was curled up on the ground.

Andy saw a police car just turning the corner and shouted for them to follow him. Their windows were rolled down and he saw them turn on their lights and come up even with the alley.

Andy ran down the alley with a terrible sinking feeling in his chest. He didn't want to look, was cringing inside because somehow he knew it was Buddy.

His shouts and the reflection of the police lights were enough for the gang to start running, one of the policemen in pursuit, the other calling for an ambulance. Andy got there first, gingerly turning the body over. It was Buddy.

"No! No! No! Buddy!" he groaned out, his heart stopping in the split second between finding him and recognition of his lover.

"Andy..." Buddy said, and closed his eyes.

"Buddy! Say something...wake up!"

"Sir, let's let him rest. You don't want to move him too much now, there may be injuries," the policeman said, taking Andy by the arm and moving him back.

The ambulance was there, the medics strapping Buddy down on the board to lift him into the waiting van, lights and siren going.

"You can ride with us," the medic told him, pointing to a place for him to sit next to Buddy. Andy was in a daze, holding Buddy's hand and begging him to hold on. His face was a mess – his eyes swollen already and his nose broken. He had a broken arm, the wrist bending in a direction it shouldn't be able to go.

Later at the hospital, Buddy was in surgery. They had to repair his lacerated liver and set the compound fracture of his arm. Andy just sat in the lobby, staring at the wall. He looked as if he was in a catatonic fit, not moving or blinking.

He had tried to go in with Buddy, but he wasn't family. He lied and said he was Buddy's brother, but it was too late. The policeman had heard him tell the medics they were roommates back in Ohio. He finally broke down and told the woman in charge that he and Buddy were partners. Like married, but of course they were not allowed to get married. She was sympathetic, but said patients in ICU were not allowed visitors except family.

Hours later, Andy still had no idea if Buddy was alive or dead. Nobody would tell him a blessed thing. He had sat, crying his eyes out, his tears flowing unchecked down his cheeks to his chin and dropping from there to his oxford shirt.

Finally, a nurse he had spoken to earlier walked by him, turning her head to see if anyone was near. She whispered to him, just loud enough for him to hear:

"Your friend Kurt came out of surgery fine. He's hurt and it's serious, but he's alive and he's a fighter. Don't give up hope."

He turned to thank her, but she put a finger to his lips.

"My brother...he's like you. It isn't fair, but I could lose my job for telling you about Kurt. Just don't tell anyone it was me that told you. I did it for my brother..."

And she was gone.

Andy had been sitting in the same chair for almost seven hours when he saw Mr. Hummel rush in to the desk.

"I need to see my son, Kurt Hummel. I was told he was here..."

"I will go check to see if you can go up. Wait here," said the young girl at the desk. Mr. Hummel looked around and spotted Andy.

"Andy! What happened? What did they mean that Buddy was hurt? They wouldn't say anything on the phone, just told me he was in surgery!"

"We were walking to my meeting, Buddy was waiting in the lobby. The next thing I knew I was out of the meeting, looking for him and I saw he was being beat up by a gang of kids in an alley. I called the cops, they called the ambulance. I got to sit with him in the ambulance, but once we got here, they said I wasn't a relative. So I have been sitting here, waiting for any kind of word," Andy said all at once. He was feeling the panic rise in his gut once more.

"I'll make sure you can go in, Andy. I don't understand..." Mr Hummel promised.

"Mr. Hummel?" a man with a white jacket and a stethoscope around his neck stepped into a conference room, leading Mr. Hummel by the elbow. Andy went with them, but the doctor said he wasn't family, looking at Andy sternly.

"He is also my son, doctor. We are family. Now, tell me about Kurt."

A short time later, Andy was sitting next to Buddy's bed, Mr. Hummel on the other side. Buddy was wrapped with bandages everywhere. He was waking up, still groggy but alert.

"Dad? Did I dream it?" he asked, trying to keep his eyes open.

"No, bud, you didn't. You are in the hospital. You had surgery and your liver has been repaired. Your arm is full of pins and screws, but they think they saved it. I know you're going to be okay," Mr. Hummel said.

"Where...where is Andy? They didn't get him, did they?" Buddy asked, looking around wildly for a moment until he felt Andy's hand in his. He turned to look at his lover.

"I'm fine, Buddy. They didn't get me. We were lucky the police had been called and arrived at the same time I did."

Buddy tried to move his hand to touch his head, but it was in traction and couldn't be moved.

"Hey, calm down. I'm right here. I'm fine. We just need to get you better so your dad and I can take you home," Andy said.

"Home..." Buddy said, his eyes closing in exhaustion.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

They were in New York for ten days before Buddy was well enough to board a plane home.

Andy stepped around Mr. Hummel's car, carefully helping Buddy out and guiding him to the stairs. He and Kurt's dad got him up the stairs and into the bed in Andy's room – propped on pillows and covered with blankets.

"You call if I can do anything, Andy. I am literally just a phone call away," he reassured the man once more. Mr. Hummel couldn't take a lot of time off, he owned the business, but he knew his son needed round the clock care. Andy was happy to provide it, and so the nurse they hired to care for Buddy didn't end up doing much.

"Buddy?" Andy called, entering the room and seeing if Buddy was awake.

"Andy...come sit with me, please?"

"Of course. How are you feeling?" Andy asked, still acting standoffish with Buddy. He was so worried that Buddy would blame him for his part in the incident.

"It hurts. A lot. I need kisses," Buddy said, his face serious.

"No, I can't risk hurting you," he said.

"It would only make it better, my love," Buddy coaxed.

"Maybe just the one, okay?"

"Yeah, one..." Andy agreed, leaning over for a very quick kiss on the lips. Buddy had other ideas. He pulled Andy close and kissed him long and deep. "Andy, promise me we'll never go back to New York. Please."

"I promise, Buddy – never again."

"Can you just hold me? I need you, Andy," Buddy begged. Andy took off his street clothes, leaving just his shorts and sleeveless undershirt. He was careful as he got into bed with Buddy for the first time in three weeks. One look at the sad face of his lover broke his heart.

"Buddy, I promise, we can stay here forever. I love you, and we can do whatever you want. Just promise you'll never leave me – ever," Andy asked.

"No, Andy. I'll never really leave you. Until your last day on earth, I'll be by your side. Then we can come back and do it all again. I promise..."


	11. Chapter 11 - The Wish

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Eleven - Wish**

**Lima, Ohio – November 2012**

"Dad, I need to talk to you, if you have a minute," Kurt asked.

"Sure, kiddo. What's up?" Burt asked, smiling at his son.

"It's about Andy," Kurt said softly, his face a mask of determination not to let his emotions out. He wanted to tell someone, but he wasn't sure who. He realized Andy was his best friend, but he couldn't bring this to him. He really didn't want to tell his dad because he knew it would stir up memories of his mother dying, but there was nobody else. Mercedes was his friend, but she wasn't the kind of friend he could bring this to. She would just look at him funny and change the subject. She already thought he was weird and strange to spend so much time at the nursing home.

"Kurt? You look like you're a million miles away, son. What's troubling you?" Burt asked, trying to regain Kurt's attention as he sat on the porch swing next to his son. He put his arm along the back of the swing, and Kurt leaned into his Dad's side. He sighed.

"I found out something today, and I don't know how to deal with it," he started.

"What was it?"

"I was at Kenton to see Andy and I asked the nurse when he was getting the bandages off from the cataract surgery," Kurt said. "She said I was mistaken, Andy didn't have cataract surgery."

"Well, I wondered about that," Burt said, "I never saw anyone with cataract surgery end up with bandages over their eyes".

"I didn't know what to say, so I just told her I must be mistaken and then she had to go answer a call button. I sneaked into the nurses' station and looked up Andy's file." Kurt took a deep breath. "Andy didn't have the surgery. He lost his sight because he has diabetes. And there was something else on his chart."

Kurt stopped again. He tried to keep a lid on his emotions, knuckling the tears from the corners of his eyes and taking deep breaths, but he couldn't do this. He began to tremble and Burt gathered him up and held him tight.

"Hey, buddy, I'm here. Whatever you found out – I'm here for you. I love you, Kurt, and whatever it is, we'll face it together. You will never be alone, my son. I promise," Burt told him, hugging him close.

"I know, Dad. You don't have to say it – but I shouldn't have done it. I know I shouldn't have looked at the chart. It wasn't my business."

Burt was silent. He wanted to tell Kurt how wrong it was to snoop into another person's private affairs, but he was pretty sure Kurt had already beat himself up over that. He sat, still hugging Kurt to his side, and waited.

Kurt took another deep breath. "Andy has advanced cardiomyopathy."

Burt sat quietly, taking in the news and trying to wrap his mind around it. He was well aware of Kurt's love for Andy. The old man was pretty much the most important person in Kurt's life aside from himself. He thought about how unfair it all was for Kurt – such a good kid, so kind and loving – but he was now facing another person afflicted with this same heart problem, a death sentence that the doctors would treat but never fix. All they could do was to try and make the man comfortable as he died. Burt wondered if Andy had even been told he had it.

"Kurt, I can't sugar-coat this. You are already a man, that doesn't depend on a date on the calendar, it is what life hands you and how you respond to it, you know. You haven't been a child since your mom passed away when you were nine. Some boys – and girls – never grow up, they just pass through life. You will never be one of those people, Kurt.

"I am so proud of you, so proud to call such a brave and kind man my son. I'm sorry about Andy, truly I am, but you're going to help him through this, I know. I think all we can do is to make his last days as happy as they can be," Burt said, looking Kurt in the eyes.

"Yeah, Dad. I know. I wish there was another way, but there isn't. I can't tell him I know, I can only be there for him," Kurt lamented.

"That is enough, Kurt. I think it is all Andy wants."

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Where's Andy?" Kurt asked the next day as he walked by his empty room.

"Down in rehab. You know where that is?" Ruth asked. She was one of the day nurses.

"Yes, thank you," Kurt said and walked down the corridor, turned into a smaller hallway and down a ramp to the rehab gym. Andy was lying on one of the big tables, two therapists with him.

"Hey, Matt, Stan. Is this guy giving you trouble? Because I think I can kick him back into shape for you..." Kurt teased. Andy grinned. His bandages were gone and he wore dark sunglasses.

"Hi, Kurt. Come to play?" he teased back.

"Maybe, when are you breaking out of this joint?"

Andy turned his head toward Matt, a question on his lips.

"We're done here. Good work-out, Andy. We'll be seeing you tomorrow, okay?" Matt asked, placing a comforting hand on Andy's knee.

"Nice to see you, Kurt. Andy could probably use some fresh air if you want to walk him outside," Stan suggested.

"Andy, want to go for a stroll?" Kurt asked.

"Sure, I'm tired of being cooped up," Andy said. "Let's go over to the park, okay?"

Kurt looked at the two therapists.

"Sure, if he's up for it, by all means take him. I'll let Ruth know where you guys are," Matt offered.

"Andy, do you want to try to walk or do you want the wheelchair?" Stan asked him.

"Oh, the chair. Kurt needs to build up some of his muscles so he can look pretty."

Both therapists laughed and Stan patted Andy on the back.

A few minutes later, Kurt was walking behind the wheelchair, pushing it along the sidewalk. He was singing a song Andy had been humming and both were now singing softly.

"_Oh, when the sun beats down and burns the tar up on the roof  
And your shoes get so hot, you wish your tired feet were fireproof  
Under the boardwalk, down by the sea  
On a blanket with my baby is where I'll be_

(Under the boardwalk) Out of the sun  
(Under the boardwalk) We'll be havin' some fun  
(Under the boardwalk) People walking above  
(Under the boardwalk) We'll be falling in love  
Under the boardwalk, boardwalk"

"I love that song. Hey, have you heard Bruce Willis sing it?" Kurt asked.

"No...Bruce Willis from the Die Hard movies?" Andy asked.

"Yeah...he actually has a blues band. They're pretty good. I'll play it for you on my laptop," Kurt offered.

"Sure, kid," Andy smiled.

They left the building by the back door and Kurt pushed Andy along to the park. He sat on a bench when they got to a shady place, pulling his feet up onto the bench and folding his arms over his knees, placing his chin there. He looked at Andy, taking in how he seemed out of breath although Kurt had pushed the chair all the way to the park. He was smiling, but not the big, natural grin he usually had. Now it was genuine enough, but not as full of sunshine and sparkles as Kurt was used to from him.

They went over to the petting zoo, Kurt taking Andy's arm to guide him into the enclosure. He bought some of the pellets from the attendant and gave a handful to Andy.

"These are little goats," Kurt said quietly as they came to get petted and eat the pellets. Andy laughed as they pushed each other out of the way.

"Oh, this is a llama!" Kurt said, his voice with so much appeal in it.

"Those must be your favorites, aren't they?" Andy observed.

"Yeah, they are. I've always just though they reminded me of me...the outsider in the barnyard," Kurt laughed, but it was bittersweet.

Kurt saw that Andy was getting tired, so he decided to go over to sit by the lake.

"How are you feeling?" Kurt asked.

"You know, don't you? I can hear it in your voice. I am so sorry, Kurt," Andy said softly. He reached out to put his hand on Kurt's knee, but failed to find it. Kurt felt bad making this hard on Andy – but he was so angry about Andy lying to him, he couldn't bear to have him touch him.

"I know people with cataract surgery don't wear bandages over their eyes for weeks," Kurt said, his voice very even and modulated.

Andy hung his head.

"I know. I knew you would figure it out, but once I'd told you that – I didn't know how to fix it. What can I do, Kurt? I know I deserve to have you mistrust me now, but I can tell you it was done with the best of intentions," Andy said.

"We had an agreement. It was your idea, that we do not lie to each other," Kurt said, his voice had an edge of ice and Andy shivered for a split second. He knew he deserved this.

"I know. And I broke it. Can you see it in your heart to forgive an old man?" Andy asked, truly afraid he had lost Kurt. He wasn't sure he could lose Kurt and still live, to say the God's honest truth.

Kurt just sat there, trying to figure out what to say. He was past angry, he was hurt. He could hardly believe that Andy would lie to him, after all the months they had been friends. He put his head back down, chin on arms, to think for a moment.

He looked up as he heard a strangled sob, looked at Andy sitting in the chair, doubled over and crying.

"Hey, Andy...no, don't cry!"

"Are you still here? You were so quiet...I...I thought you had left me," Andy confessed. His hands trembled as he swung his head slowly, trying to use his hearing to pinpoint where Kurt was sitting.

Kurt felt terrible. He was hurt and was just trying to think, but now Andy looked so forlorn, as if he'd been abandoned. Kurt would never want that. His Grandma Reenie's words came back to him, _**It's better to be kind than to be right.**_ He had lived by those words for so long, before all the bullying began, and he'd forgotten them. It was as if Grandma was still there, telling Kurt again as he walked with her to visit another shut-in.

He uncurled himself and stood up, moving close to Andy in the wheelchair.

"Of course, I forgive you, Andy. You're my best friend. Always," Kurt said, taking the man's hand and enclosing it with both of his own.

"Really? After I deceived you, we're still friends?" Andy asked, removing his sunglasses to wipe the tears from his eyes. His hand trembled and he dropped the glasses on the concrete pathway.

Kurt took his clean handkerchief from his pocket and dried all the tears, then kissed Andy's cheek.

"Of course we're still friends - _best_ friends. I said always, and I meant always," Kurt said, hugging Andy tightly and for a long time. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Thank you, Buddy...Bless you," Andy whispered. He fumbled in his lap for his sunglasses and Kurt saw them on the ground, the lens cracked and fallen out. Kurt took his own from their case and placed them on Andy's nose.

"There, mine are bright pink. I think it suits you," he said, the smile on Andy's face getting bigger.

They sat together for a while, Kurt describing the park, all the flowers in neat beds, the old men playing bocce ball on the packed dirt courts, some teenagers playing tennis.

"Kurt, I think I need to get back to my room now," Andy said, sighing. He looked worn out, so tired and his lips were just a tinge blue. Kurt took a look at his fingernails – yes, just a hint of blue, like his mother when she was tired.

"Sure, Andy. I'll have you back home in no time," Kurt assured him.

Back at Kenton, Kurt helped Andy into his bed, removing his shoes and putting a quilt over him. He told Andy he'd be right back and went to find the nurse.

"Ruth! I just got back from the park with Andy. He is really tired and..." Kurt stopped to make sure nobody else was listening, "his lips and fingernails are a little blue."

"Okay, Kurt. I'll get his medication and be right there. Do you want to go sit with him?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'd like to do that if it's okay," Kurt said, turning to race back to Andy's room.

"Hey, Kurt?" Andy asked as he entered the room.

"Yeah, it's me. I had to stop at the restroom. Do you want me to read to you?" he asked.

"Oh, that would be lovely. Yes, please. Oh, you said you were going to read me a new series! Now that we finished Harry Potter," Andy said, his voice going up in excitement.

"This is a book my mother read to me when I was little. It's called The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis," Kurt started, Andy settled in, his head on his pillow and the quilt pulled up to his chin. He had read this series of books with Buddy when they lived in downtown Westerville, but he saw no reason to tell Kurt, the boy was so excited to read it to him.

Ruth came in and took his vitals and gave Andy some medication, but Andy insisted that Kurt be allowed to continue reading. It was almost dark when Kurt stopped.

"Judy will be in here in a few minutes to get you ready for bed, so I better go," Kurt said. He had eaten supper with Andy and thought his dad was probably missing him.

"Okay, Kurt. Will you be here tomorrow? It is really important to me...if you're not busy I mean," Andy tried to cover his intense longing for the boy's company, but Kurt could hear it in his voice.

"Of course I'll be here. There is no place I would rather be," Kurt said. He got up and gave Andy a loving hug, Andy's fragile arms inched around his neck, his head on Kurt's shoulder.

"Thank you for coming again, Buddy," Andy said, a little confused. "You are my whole world, and you always will be," the old man whispered. Kurt wasn't sure if it was meant for him to hear, but he kissed Andy's forehead and patted his back.

"Kurt?" Andy said, his eyes closed and his body relaxed into the mattress.

"Yes, Andy?"

"I love you, kid."

"I love you, too, Andy."

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Dad, he didn't look good. I don't know what to do. I got him back to Kenton as quickly as I could, then told Ruth. She was just getting off shift, but she stayed and gave him his medication and checked his blood pressure," Kurt told his dad.

"It sounds like they're taking care of him, son. I don't know what else there is to do, really. Some things can't be fixed just because we want them to be," Burt said. Kurt nodded and laid his head on his father's shoulder.

They sat on the porch for a while, watching the bats flying around the trees, snatching insects out of the air. Burt finally yawned and stretched his arms.

"I better get to bed, bud. Tomorrow is Sunday, maybe I'll go with you to see Andy, okay?"

"I'd like that, Dad, and I know Andy would, too."

Kurt had been in bed for only an hour when the phone rang. He was up, rushing down the hall in a minute, Burt coming from the other direction. Burt got there first.

"Yes, yes, this is his dad. Oh, well, is there time? Okay, I'll come right now," Burt said.

Kurt just stood there, frozen. He looked at his father, knowing what it was but not wanting to face it.

"Kurt, go get dressed," Burt said, turning to go do the same.

"It's Andy, isn't it?"

"Yes, son. He's calling for you."

Kurt barely touched the floor as he raced down the corridor to Andy's room. He stopped in the doorway to see Judy and several other staff members in the room. Everything was quiet. Kurt walked slowly over to Andy's bed and took his hand.

"Andy."

The man tried to open his eyes, tightened his hand around Kurt's.

"Kurt?"

"I'm here, Andy. I'm holding your hand," Kurt said, using both hands now to hold Andy's cold hand.

"Ah, yes. I knew you would be here when I needed you. You're my best friend, Buddy..."

The doctor motioned for Kurt to follow him out to the hall.

"Andy, my dad is here. He wants to talk to you, okay?"

"Sure, kid," Andy smiled and let go.

In the hall, the doctor told Kurt that Andy's heart was slowing down. He would get sleepy in a while and just drift off to sleep, then stop breathing.

"It is a very peaceful death, son. If you have to go, this is as peaceful a death as you could have. I am truly sorry, Kurt. I know how much he meant to you," the doctor said, giving Kurt's shoulder a squeeze.

"Can I talk to him alone?" Kurt asked.

"Of course. I'll ask them to let you have some time," he assured the boy.

When they were alone, Andy told Kurt that he was cold.

Kurt went to the closet and got the thicker quilt. He tucked it around Andy.

"It's still so cold..."

"Here, I can help," Kurt said and slipped off his shoes. He got into the bed next to Andy and cuddled him close to share his warmth.

"Ah, that's better. Thank you, Kurt," Andy said softly. "There are some things I want to say to you. I have left you a few things, all in my will. Now, don't say anything, I'm not changing my mind and you'll only hurt my feelings, so let it go."

"Okay, I don't want you to fret. I'll be here whenever you need me, Andy. You are my best friend, too. I wish I could fix this...this..."

"No, Kurt. I don't want it fixed. It's my time, you know," Andy said, feeling his way to wipe the tears from Kurt's face. "I wanted to tell you – I know sometimes I called you "Buddy". You never said anything, but you must have noticed it. Well, Buddy was my best friend. He was my partner, my lover, he was all mine. I love him. We lived together in a time when men were not supposed to love each other, so we had to keep our love hidden. I don't understand why the world would not accept us, but that's the way it was.

Buddy and I were lucky, we had friends who helped us stay safe. I loved Buddy more than anything on this earth, and when I heard you singing – it was as if Buddy had come back to me. He died five years ago, and I had nothing left to live for, Kurt, until that day we met. You made me want to live again. So, I owe you a debt of gratitude. You made my last year here a joyful one, and not everyone can say that."

"Oh, Andy...I don't want you to go," Kurt cried, his arms around Andy's neck, his head buried in his shoulder.

"No, Kurt. It's time. I'm tired of dragging this old body around. And I miss Buddy. I want to be with him again, I miss him," Andy said, the tears running unchecked down his cheeks. He closed his eyes and tried to take a few deep breaths, but was only able to take a few shallow ones.

They sat together quietly and Kurt sat up more, pulling Andy close so he could lean on Kurt.

"You need to take care of yourself, Kurt. Join the choir, do something to make yourself happy. Kurt you need to live life. Promise me you'll try?"

"Yes, Andy – I will do my very best," Kurt promised.

"Then I promise I will never really leave you. I'll always be in your heart, Kurt. Always. Just look for me and one day I'll be back. I know you think this is an old man rambling, and maybe it is – but I believe that I will never leave you. We were meant to be together and nothing can stop that kind of devotion, just wait and see."

They sat for a while longer, Andy dozing off and waking from time to time. He was mumbling to himself now.

"Buddy...I'm here, Buddy. I'm holding you. I told you, we can be together...I love you, Buddy," he said, his muscles trembling for a moment.

Kurt smoothed the still-thick curls from his forehead and kissed him there.

"Kurt?" Andy said, opening his eyes. "Kurt, thank you...I love you, pal."

"I love you, too, Andy."

"I'll never say goodbye, Buddy...Kurt," Andy whispered. And he was gone.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Kurt Hummel?"

"Yes, that's me," Kurt said, walking into the lawyer's office.

"Please, have a seat. And you must be Kurt's father?"

"Burt Hummel. Thank you," he said, sitting beside Kurt and straightening his tie.

"I am Louis Harrington. I am the lawyer for Blaine Anderson, the man you knew as 'Andy'. He left his papers with me and I have the duty to read his will to you."

Kurt picked at his cuticle for a moment. He was nervous.

By the end of the meeting he was the owner of an apartment in Westerville, Ohio and a large bank account. In addition, his tuition, room, and board had been paid for his senior year at Dalton Academy in Westerville. He was stunned.

"But, Mr. Harrington, didn't Andy have any relatives?" he asked.

"Yes, he did. His brother, Thomas Cooper, moved to Australia. He had two boys and is living in Italy right now," Mr. Harris explained.

"Shouldn't this money and the apartment go to the son or the boys?" Kurt asked. He didn't want to cheat anyone out of their inheritance.

"Oh, don't worry. They have plenty of money. They inherited the family fortune because TC worked for his father and became president of the company. Don't worry about them, Andy wanted you to have this, I promise you. Nothing would have made him happier than to know you were taken care of, son."

Kurt thanked the man and shook his hand. Then he and Burt went back home.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"_Andy?"_

"_Yes, I'm Andy..." he said, looking around himself. He was in a place with white walls, kind of like the inside of a cloud but more substantial. He was afraid to walk for a moment, but found he could walk easily, move around with no pain. He opened his eyes and blinked several times. He could see._

"_Where am I?" he asked, but the man in front of him didn't answer._

"_Andy, you are a kind man, you gave of yourself and made the people around you happy. You cared so deeply, and you made a difference in the lives of the people you loved. What would you like, more than anything in heaven or on earth?" the man asked._

_Andy didn't hesitate for a moment._

"_I want to be with Buddy again."_

"_Such a simple wish?"_

"_It's all I have ever wanted for as long as I can remember."_

"_Okay, Andy. In return for your lifetime of kindness and love for your fellow man, you are granted your wish. Once again you have chosen to be reunited with Kurt."_

"_Thank you...oh, bless you and thank you. I'm coming, Kurt," was the last thing Andy heard himself say. _

_He woke up in Italy, a little shaky but feeling good. His memory of his former life and the time with the angels was quickly fading, gone for good in a few minutes. The memory of his soulmate, of Kurt, of Buddy, was deep in his memory -buried for now. He sat up in bed and looked around himself, feeling like he didn't know what was going on. His phone rang._

"_Hello?"_

"_Blaine? This is your father. I just called to let you know your flight to the US is booked. You'll be going to Dalton Academy where your grandfather and his brother attended. I think you'll make friends there you can count on for the rest of your life, pal. Sound good to you?" his father asked._

"_Sure, Dad. Sounds like an adventure..." Blaine shook his head to clear the cobwebs. He felt as if he was waking from a dream, a dream where he was loved and cherished – with someone he loved back._


	12. Chapter 12 - Begin Again

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Twelve – Begin Again**

**Dalton Academy, Westerville, Ohio September 2013**

"Well, Kurt, you look nice," Burt said, smiling at his son. It was the first day of Kurt's senior year and he had been a little apprehensive as he got ready that morning.

A few weeks ago, Mr. Harrington had been very gracious and set Kurt up with appointments to meet the headmaster at Dalton Academy. It was Andy's wish that Kurt be able to attend Dalton, the private boy's school in Westerville and the alma mater of the men in Andy's family. Because of the strict discipline and anti-bullying policy at the school, Andy thought Kurt would be safer there and Kurt loved the idea. Mr. Harrington set up the financial arrangements for him, making sure Kurt's trust account had money in it for anything he would require during the school year including books, transportation, dorm supplies, and a small account for going to movies or other recreational pursuits. Kurt's favorite was the clothing allowance and he spent several days with various friends shopping.

Kurt had gone through the initiation meeting for new Dalton students to show him the campus and how to use the meal tickets, where to park his car, how the grading system worked, and anything else he might need to know.

His room was in the senior residence hall and he had met the resident assistant for his dorm building, Jeff Sterling. Kurt was a bit scared, but also very much thrilled to be going to such a prestigious school. He had daydreamed for weeks of being able to walk down the hallways unmolested, and the prospect of joining groups or clubs without the fear of being caught alone on campus after hours was like a dream come true.

In spite of all the good things, in spite of this gift, Kurt knew that he would give up everything if he could have one more day with his best friend. Just an hour. He missed Andy more than he could ever have imagined possible. He had gone to the funeral, cried at the grave and tossed a dozen red and yellow roses onto the casket. He had written and read the eulogy, reciting it before so many people who had known and loved Andy. He did his best to make it right. Then when everyone was gone and his dad waited for him in the truck, Kurt had sang Andy's song. _"I'll walk in the rain by your side, I'll cling to the warmth of your hand, I'll do anything to keep you satisfied, And I'll love you more than anybody can."_

Kurt got out of his Navigator, running around to where his dad had parked. They had driven to Dalton this morning with the last loads of Kurt's things. His dad helped him in with the things, then got ready to leave. Kurt wiped a tear from his eye and hugged his father.

"Thank you, Dad. You know I'm going to be fine, right?" Kurt asked. He was nervous, but not afraid.

"Yes, I know you'll be fine. Hey, looks like that mentor they assigned you. What's his name?" Burt asked.

"Trent. He's going to make sure I make it to my classes on time today, so I better get going," Kurt said, waving at the smiling boy who was waiting by the path for him.

"You have the key to your room? I know we moved everything in over the weekend, but you know you can come home on the weekends if you forgot anything," Burt assured his son.

"Of course, Dad. I'll be there Friday night. I won't forget," he smiled.

"Okay, well, bye for now. I'll see you on Friday. Drive carefully," Burt said, getting back into his truck. He waved and pulled out of the parking lot.

"Hi, Trent. Thanks again for volunteering to take me around. I feel kind of lost," Kurt smiled.

"Oh, no problem. Isn't your roommate here yet?" he asked.

"No, unless he came in last night. I wanted to spend my last night at home, I'm going to miss my dad," he said.

Trent patted his back in a friendly manner.

"We all do, I think. Okay, let's get to class. You have most of the same classes that I do, or we're close, I can show you to all of them except French. You have Advanced Conversational French when I have basic Japanese, so I asked Nick Duvall to help out. I'll introduce him to you after American Military History," Trent promised.

_'I guess I'm off on a new adventure_,' Kurt said to himself, turning to catch up with his new friend.

By the end of the week, Kurt was happy and no longer feeling like an outsider. He loved his classes and got along with all of the boys he'd met. He had auditioned for and was accepted as a member of the elite show choir, The Warblers.

He unlocked his room and walked in, glancing at the other side. His roommate was going to be late for the start of school, he was moving here from Europe and they hadn't quite been able to accommodate his schedule to the beginning of classes. Kurt hoped he was smart enough to be able to catch up – or perhaps he might have the same classes as Kurt and they could get to be friends if Kurt helped him catch up.

Today he noticed some boxes stacked in the corner and the bed had been removed, replaced by a new bed with a thicker mattress, a canopy, and curtains to isolate him from the rest of the room. Hmmm...maybe he was rooming with a prince of one of those tiny kingdoms that dotted the Middle-East? Well, this was going to be fascinating to say the least.

It was another week before Kurt was able to navigate around Dalton's buildings as if he had been there for years. He knew the secret way into the dorm if he had missed curfew, he knew where to find a cup of the best tea on campus at three in the morning, and he felt comfortable.

He was going from American Military History to English Drama class, skipping down the steps in the grand staircase of the front hall in the classroom building when he saw a new face, a boy who looked lost just standing in the center of the stairs and letting all the other uniformed boys run past him on either side. He wasn't holding the rail and Kurt was suddenly afraid he was going to be knocked down the wrought-iron stairs and get hurt. He rushed up as quickly as he could and took the boy's hand, leading him to the ground floor and under the stairs to get him away from the crowd.

The boy stood there, dazed and perhaps even frightened, holding Kurt's hand in an iron grip. His head was down, one hand on his knee as he gulped for air. He finally recovered, lifting his head and staring right into Kurt's eyes.

Kurt almost staggered. The boy's eyes were a deep toffee color, hazel with slivers of dark chocolate, slate gray, and moss green. They were huge and liquid and surrounded by long, thick lashes that brushed his cheeks as he blinked in amazement. He didn't let go of Kurt's hand for a moment, holding it tight – so close that Kurt could feel his heart thundering in his chest.

"Hey, new kid, are you all right?" Kurt asked.

The kid just continued to look at him, his eyes mesmerizing Kurt. He felt as if he was dreaming and the feeling of being light-headed and dizzy came upon him, making him stumble towards a bench that was set in the recess under the stairs. He sat down hard, bringing the new boy with him because the kid hadn't let go of his hand.

Kurt studied the silent boy, taking in the styled hair that had so much product in it, Kurt imagined it would make a plunking sound if he tapped on it. The boy was trying to tame some wild curls, Kurt imagined, thinking he could help him find something to tame them without the slick sheen of a 1950's romantic lead actor. Clark Gable? Cary Grant? He had only glanced at the hair, then took in the beautiful eyes once more, the rosy lips that any woman would scratch his eyes out to possess, and the way the Dalton uniform fit.

"Honest, are you okay?" Kurt asked again.

"I'm sorry...I'm new here and I think I'm just overwhelmed. I didn't mean to interrupt you. I don't want to make you late for your class, I mean," he blurted out, shutting his mouth abruptly and standing, ready to leave, but his face made it plain he had no idea where to go.

"I have a free period now, just a study-hall. I can help you find what you're looking for, if you'd like?" Kurt offered.

"Oh...you would? Thank you. My name is Blaine," he said, holding out his hand towards Kurt.

Kurt was frozen for a moment. Here was this gorgeous guy, who had barely stopped holding his hand as if there was no tomorrow, and now on top of curly hair and beautiful hazel eyes...his name was Blaine? No...it was just coincidence. It had to be.

"Ah...I'm Kurt. Kurt Hummel. Glad to meet you, Blaine," Kurt smiled, "How about we go get a cup of hot chocolate and we can get acquainted before you try and find your way. Didn't they assign you a mentor?"

"They probably did, but when I got here I thought I could find my classes and...well, I haven't even found my dorm room yet. I need to go to the office and tell them I'm here..." Blaine said, scrambling to get his messenger bag balanced on his shoulder.

Kurt gently helped him, then led the way out the front doors of the school. He walked slowly and watched while this new kid settled down. He was too full of anxiety, and hopefully the chocolate would calm him a bit.

They sat in the shop, a plate of shortbread between them and thick cups of Dutch Chocolate in front of them. Blaine found the salt shaker and shook just a tiny amount into his palm, dropping it into the drink and stirring. Kurt looked at him funny and gave him a puzzled expression.

"Oh...just a few grains of salt can make the difference between a great cup of cocoa and a magnificent cup of cocoa. Try it," he said, pushing his cup towards Kurt. Kurt took his spoon and got a taste, bringing it to his lips and sipping it. It just tasted like chocolate.

"Now, try yours," Blaine encouraged.

He did and his eyes grew huge. "Wow! That does make it...I don't know, more chocolatey?" he said, grinning at Blaine. "How did you know to do that?"

"An exchange student from Switzerland last year."

"Where did you go to school last year?" Kurt asked, spilling a little salt into his own cup.

"Oh...in Italy. I just moved back here to Ohio. Well, I was born in Australia, but we've lived in Italy most of the past five years. This is my last year, so my dad thought I should go to the school my grandfather went to," Blaine explained.

They finished their hot chocolate and walked back to the Dalton campus.

"Do you know anyone else on campus?" Kurt asked.

"No, I'm looking forward to meeting new people, though. Say, can you tell me where this is?" he asked, taking a slip of paper out of his pocket. It was stapled to a piece of string from which a key was dangling. Kurt looked at the address on the paper.

"Actually, I was headed that way myself, allow me to be your guide."

Blaine smiled and followed along as they turned down a path that led to the seniors' dormitory. Kurt walked in and down the left hallway, stopping in front of the red oak door. He looked at the suite number on the slip of paper and grinned at Blaine, then took out his own key and opened the door, bowing and waving Blaine in.

"Oh...you must be my roommate?" Blaine guessed and a smile lurked at the corner of his mouth.

"Yes, and I'm glad you're here. It was lonely here all alone," Kurt told him. "Can I help you unpack?"

"I'd love to have some help. I had no idea what was furnished and what I would need," Blaine laughed.

Kurt was having trouble breathing. He kept stealing glances at Blaine, wondering why he was so...so something. Interesting? Sexy? Familiar? Maybe yes to all three.

"Do I have a smudge on my face or something?" Blaine asked.

"No, why?" Kurt asked, embarrassed to have been caught staring once again.

"You keep staring at me," Blaine said, but not in an irritated voice, more just curious.

"I'm sorry. You look so familiar to me, but that's not an excuse for staring. Again, I apologize. Now, which drawer are you keeping your sweaters and I'll start to fold them," Kurt said in a quiet voice, his head down pretending to be engrossed in the exciting art of sweater-folding.

"It's okay, Kurt. I thought you looked familiar, too. Have you ever been to Italy? I lived in Florence, then Milan for a while," Blaine asked, his beautiful lips stretched wide in a friendly smile.

"Ah...no. Never been out of Ohio actually."

"Oh, well, maybe we can go somewhere for spring break later this year?" he suggested.

"I'd love that."

The boys put away all of Blaine's things and then took a short tour of the campus, Kurt pointing out classrooms and the library, the gym, the choir room. He glanced at Blaine's schedule and was happy to see the boy had almost all the same classes as he did.

Kurt took Blaine to a local restaurant for supper that night and they talked all through the meal.

"How did your folks decide to send you to Dalton?" Kurt asked. Surely someone who had lived in as many places as Blaine had would have chosen somewhere other than boring Westerville, Ohio.

"My family is from here. We are going to live in the same house my grandfather lived in, and his father...back to the late 1700s. My grandfather, TC Anderson, went to Dalton. So did his brother, my great uncle, Blaine. I was named for him," Blaine grinned.

"How well did you know this uncle?" Kurt asked, now just about sure that Blaine's uncle was his friend, Andy.

"I only met him a few times when he visited us in Australia and later in Italy, then I came here from time to time and stayed with him - but he was memorable. He had the same curly black hair that I do and he played any instrument he could pick up. He wrote songs, too. I bet you've heard a hundred songs he wrote. I don't know why he never tried to be a singer, he was so good, but he liked living here," Blaine said, a slightly puzzled look on his face, as if he could not fathom the reason anyone would spend their life in Westerville, Ohio.

"Maybe he liked it here. Not everyone is cut out to live in a big city you know. I can't imagine my dad living in New York," Kurt giggled. The thought of Burt walking down a street in that city brought a smile to Kurt's face.

"You must get along with your parents pretty well from the smile on your face, Kurt," Blaine mentioned, his own lips smiling back at Kurt.

"Yes, I do. Well, with my dad anyway. My mother passed away when I was eight," he informed his new friend.

"I'm so sorry to hear that. I didn't mean to bring up sad subjects," Blaine said, reaching out to take hold of Kurt's hand to show he was sorry. Kurt jumped as electricity flowed into his hand at the touch. He shook his head, not sure if he dreamed it.

"Oh!" Blaine said, looking a bit stunned. "That was strange. Must have been static electricity," he laughed it off, but Kurt could see wonder in his eyes.

They finished supper and were walking back to Dalton campus. There was a nice park near the school and the boys sat on a park bench to enjoy the night for a while before going back to the dorm.

"Did your uncle go by the name 'Andy'?" Kurt asked.

Blaine gave him a double-take. "How did you guess that?"

"I didn't really guess. Andy Anderson was my best friend. I used to visit him at the nursing home. He had been so lonely, and one day I heard him singing in his room. I went to see who had such a marvelous voice and there he was. We were friends from the minute we met. I sure miss him," Kurt said, his eyes stinging from unshed tears. He took out his handkerchief and wiped his eyes.

"Oh, Kurt...I'm sorry. It must have been fate that brought us together. I loved Uncle Andy, too, even though I hadn't seen him for a few years. Was it bad at the end? I wanted to come and be with him, but it wasn't possible. I was with him in spirit, though," Blaine said, his face sad as he bowed his head.

"I was with him. They called me and my dad took me to be with him at the end. I was holding him in my arms when he died."

Blaine was letting his tears run down his face, dripping onto his shirt, then absently reached for a handkerchief. Kurt saw he was unable to find it and offered his own.

"I wanted to be there, I did. Uncle Andy didn't tell us he had heart trouble until a few days before he died. There was no time to plan. I hope he knew we would have dropped everything and come to be with him if we had known in time." Blaine sat in misery, his hands now in front of his face.

Kurt couldn't stand to see the boy suffering, so he reached out and put his arms around Blaine, pulling him close.

"He was peaceful at the end. He wanted to go. He told me he was done here and all he wanted was to be with Buddy once again. I promise, he was okay with everything at the end," Kurt reassured Blaine. Blaine hung on to Kurt for a while, sobbing and sniffing his grief.

"Can you...can you maybe tell me where his grave is? I want to buy him some flowers."

"Sure, Blaine. I'll take you there. I was at the funeral. I put red and yellow roses in the grave – he told me once they were his favorite. Then later I planted two rose bushes, one red and one yellow next to the headstone. He wasn't alone, Blaine. I promise," Kurt said, shedding a few of his own tears.

"I'm sorry, we need to get back to campus. It was so sweet of you to take me to supper and to show me around. I appreciate it, Kurt," Blaine said, leaning close to kiss each of Kurt's cheeks.

"I was glad to do it. I can help you on Monday with finding your classes and all. Let's get going," he said, holding out a hand to help Blaine up from the bench.

"I did come to America a few times. The last time I was about ten years old - we stayed here in Westerville. My folks and brother stayed with my grandparents, but I got to stay with Uncle Andy in his apartment," Blaine said, a little more cheerful than he had been.

"The one he shared with Buddy?" Kurt asked.

"Oh...I guess I should stop being surprised that you know my family better than I do," Blaine laughed.

Kurt was instantly worried that Blaine was upset with him because of it, but his face showed no signs of jealousy.

"I can take you there. It's the same as when he left it, you know," Kurt said, hoping it was the right thing to do.

"It is? Well, do the new owners mind? I wouldn't want to intrude on their lives, of course," Blaine said.

"No, I'm sure it's fine. Ah...I don't know how to say this..." Kurt hesitated.

Blaine stopped walking and turned towards his new friend. He could see that Kurt was torn as to whether to say something or not.

"Hey, don't worry. You can tell me anything, Kurt. I know we just met this morning, but I feel like I've known you for years. Isn't that strange?" Blaine said in a soft voice. "I want you to know that while I missed my Uncle Andy, I am so, so happy that he had you for his best friend. He left this world a happy and content man because of you, Kurt. How could I be jealous of that? No, my dear Kurt, it only makes me joyous to learn of it."

Blaine took Kurt's hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing the back of his hand and turning towards Dalton. He didn't let go of Kurt's hand all the way back to Dalton.

They got back to the dorm room and changed into pajamas. Kurt asked about Blaine's preference in music and they discussed that for a while, finding they both loved the same things.

"I have a CD of songs Andy wrote," Blaine said, grinning as he shuffled through a large box of jewel cases, most of which were ones he made himself from his eclectic taste in music. He found the one he wanted and put it on to play. Kurt's eyes lit up and he smiled, realizing that although they were famous songs, these were all sung by Andy himself.

"Oh, that is a treasure!"

"I will burn you a copy. I have several...well, more like a dozen that he made for me. He wrote a lot of songs," Blaine laughed.

They sat together on the floor, laughing and talking until it was late. Blaine yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"Sorry. I haven't been to sleep for almost two days what with the time changes from Italy to here. I am exhausted. Is it okay if I go to bed now? You can stay up and listen to music, that and the light won't bother me," Blaine said between yawns.

"Thanks, but I'm tired, too. I was supposed to be home for supper tonight -Friday night supper is a tradition in my family – but Dad had a date, so we're doing it tomorrow. Oh, I know! Can you come to supper at my house in Lima tomorrow? I know Dad will be over the moon to meet you! He and Andy really got along, 'like a house afire' my grandmother would say."

Blaine laughed. "Well, if you're sure I'm not intruding?"

"Of course not. You're practically family. Okay, I'm going to go brush my teeth and then go to sleep. Do you need to set your alarm for anything?" Kurt asked.

"No...I had planned to get my room squared away, but now with your help, it's all done. Thank you again, Kurt. You make me feel like this is home already, and that is the best feeling in the world," Blaine said.

Kurt finished in the bathroom and came back in the dorm, turned out the lights and slipped into bed. Blaine took his turn to brush his teeth and came over to Kurt's bed, sitting on the edge.

"Really, thank you so much for being so kind to me today, Kurt. I was scared and lonely – I had to come all the way from Italy by myself and it wasn't shaping up to be a good day at all. Meeting you on the stairs just felt like fate. Then to find you were so close to my beloved uncle...this is a dream come true, Kurt." Blaine leaned close and kissed Kurt. He had meant to just kiss his cheek as friends do, but Kurt had turned at just that second and Blaine's lips ended up on Kurt's mouth instead. He jumped a little at the spark, but Kurt didn't move. He kept kissing Blaine, moving his hand to cup Blaine's cheek and hold him there for another moment. The boys parted, each staring at the other.

"Good...good night, Kurt. Sweet dreams," Blaine managed to say, then quickly went back to his bed. He slid under the covers, his fingers over his lips while he contemplated what just happened. He didn't know what to think – just touching Kurt made sparks fly between them, but kissing him? Blaine prayed with all his might that Kurt was gay and not just being friendly. He closed his eyes and fell asleep almost at once, dreaming about his uncles and about his new friend.

Kurt lay awake for a long time, listening to the CD Blaine had put in the player. It was Andy's voice, and he imagined his friend was singing just for him. He missed Andy and as he fell asleep, he wondered if Andy had sent Blaine to try and heal the open wound Andy's death had left in him.


	13. Chapter 13 - Meeting Burt

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Thirteen – Meeting Burt**

"Kurt? Are you awake?" Blaine called across the room. He had been lying there for more than an hour, too tired to get up, but too awake to go back to sleep. He finally decided he needed a cup of coffee. He took a shower and got dressed, then tried calling to his roommate once again.

"Kurt? You awake?" he said a little louder. He could very well go find his own coffee, but he felt a craving to have Kurt with him, even for the short errand. "Kurt?"

Kurt turned over, blinking his eyes and rubbing his face. "Dad?"

"Kurt, it's just me...your roommate. You wanna go with me for a cuppa coffee?"

"Oh...Blaine. Ah, yeah, I need to get up, but no coffee. Can't stand the stuff. I'll walk with you over to the kiosk, though. I could use a cup of tea," Kurt said, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and taking a deep breath. There was a kiosk just across the street from Dalton's main gate and they had good tea and a newsstand, too.

"I guess maybe I shouldn't have woken you up, it is Saturday," Blaine said, a little guilty. He just wanted some company.

"No, no...it's fine, Andy...ah, I mean Blaine. Wow, I really am sleepy. It's eight thirty – I never sleep this late. Give me fifteen minutes to take a shower and I'll be ready to go," Kurt smiled. Blaine was sitting in the desk chair by his bed, already dressed in tight white jeans and a marigold V-neck sweater. He had on well-worn orange Converse Chuck Taylors and no socks. And his hair...it looked different this morning. Oh...the answer dawned on Kurt's sleepy brain. Blaine wasn't wearing the gel he had on yesterday to tame those luscious curls. Kurt closed the bathroom door and smiled as he got the water temperature right for his shower.

Stepping into the shower, Kurt wasn't really surprised to find he was still hard from his last dream. Lucky for him, his pajama top came down almost to mid-thigh and hid a lot of indiscretions. The water was nice and hot, so Kurt got his sage and carnation shampoo and squeezed out a dollop in his hand, rubbing his hands together and running them through his hair. He worked up a nice lather, rinsed it out and did it again, leaving it in this time. Shampoo had to have time to work properly, to dissolve all the grease and dirt from his scalp before rinsing it out.

Getting his soap, he lathered his hands and began his ritual washing. Kurt really enjoyed taking showers and he sometimes took longer than necessary to soap up his body. He was in a hurry this morning and was going quickly over the steps until he got to below his belly. He closed his eyes to keep the shampoo from dribbling into them, and images from last night's dream flickered across his mind. A warm body next to his, soft skin and hard muscle, a gentle hand slick with sweat and finding it's way down...slowing to grasp around him. Kurt had his hand, slick with soap, just where the one in the dream was.

He could almost smell the spicy scent of the man, something like black pepper with an earthy quality – maybe oakmoss? - and a lighter scent. Fresh and green...oh! Linden tree. Yes. Part of the seduction was that scent.

His hand grasped a little tighter, stroking, stroking...he couldn't open his eyes because of the stinging shampoo, but he couldn't stop what he was doing to brush it away. The heat was indeed collecting in his gut...swirling and nagging at him, forcing his hand to move faster, his slick hand to stroke and stroke, the other one caressing his nipples, then down to cup his balls. It didn't take long, as if his body had been preparing for this since before he was even awake, making him ready for this. The urgency to bring himself to the end was burning in his spine, tightening his muscles, curling his toes. He thought once more about running his fingers through those silky black curls and that soft hand moving like lightning to bring him closer, and finally...one more whiff of that scent and the touch of the rosy lips to his...and he was coming so hard he had to lean against the tiles in the shower to keep his balance, trying desperately to contain his moans as the heat and pleasure surged through his body, spilling onto the floor of the shower and disappearing down the drain. He stood frozen for a full minute before he could even summon up the strength it took to move.

Kurt pushed his head under the water, scrubbing his scalp and rinsing the shampoo away. He stayed in the shower, changing the temperature to cool him off. He finished soaping himself, then rinsed off, careful of each part of his body now, careful of the over-sensitive cock and even his balls because they were aching from the sudden orgasm. He hung his head, wondering what had come over him.

In the dorm room, Blaine was reading a book, waiting for his new roommate to emerge from his shower so they could go get coffee. He wasn't really interested in the book, it was just something he grabbed off of Kurt's shelf to occupy his mind while he waited. Blaine's mind wandered, thinking of the kiss that happened last night. He was a bit confused when he felt the spark of electricity at touching Kurt's hand, and he was strangely excited when Kurt seemed so interested in him.

He didn't know if Kurt was gay, but he had a pretty good idea...he wasn't born yesterday. Then he heard a moan coming from the shower. The CD he was playing was between songs or he would never have heard it – it had to be Kurt. What was he doing in the shower? Well, it was obvious. Soap, slick hand, morning erection – he'd noticed that when Kurt got out of bed and avoided touching the front of his pajama shirt, then walked slowly into the bathroom.

Now he was in there...probably pleasuring himself. Was he just a horny teenager, or was he thinking of someone specific? Blaine couldn't help but wish it was him. He had liked Kurt at once when he met him. He was not only gorgeous, but kind and intelligent as well. And last night...when he had meant to kiss his cheek as a friendly gesture before retiring...did Kurt mean to turn his head just that bare inch so their lips would connect? Maybe...

Shutting the water off, Kurt got his towel and dried himself, then put on the clean clothes he had picked out for the day. He towel-dried his hair, ran a bit of product through it and combed it to perfection. He finally felt able to leave the sanctuary of the bathroom, and opened the bathroom window to let in a little air.

"So, you ready to go get some breakfast?" Kurt asked, smiling innocently at Blaine.

"Sure, let's go," Blaine smiled back. He went to the coat closet by the door and looked inside. "Do you want the brown jacket that matches your jeans? It would look great with what you're wearing," Blaine asked, looking at Kurt.

Kurt was dressed in a rust colored oxford shirt with the cuffs rolled up, and a pale ivory brocade vest. His dark chocolate jeans were so tight Blaine wondered if he had to use talcum powder to get them on after his shower. Blaine waited while Kurt pulled on his calf-skin Frye boots, enjoying the view.

"Thank you," Kurt said as Blaine held his jacket for him. Blaine put on his leather pilot jacket he wore everywhere.

"So, where to on a Saturday morning?" Blaine asked.

"There is a cute little pastry shop downtown, want to go there? Or if you are really hungry there is one called something like The North Woods that sells 'Lumberjack-sized' meals?" Kurt asked.

"The pastry shop sounds good. I don't have my car yet..." Blaine hesitated.

"No problem, mine is just over in the student parking lot," Kurt assured him. He saw Blaine start to take his hand, then shy away. Smiling at his new friend, he reached over and took his hand.

"Is this okay?" Kurt asked and got a big smile back from Blaine.

"Of course it is," he said, a pink blush showing on his cheeks.

They got in the Navigator and drove downtown to the restaurant.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

The drive to Lima was about an hour and ten minutes. Unless Burt was driving, then it was more like 50 minutes. Kurt took a leisurely approach today, just enjoying Blaine's company. They chatted about French pastry as compared to what was found in America, about the virtues of boarding school – which Blaine had little to add because he had been going to boarding schools all of his life.

"Why did you choose French? I would think Italian would be easier since you lived there for so long," Kurt commented.

"I didn't want 'easy', I wanted to learn. Education is one of the most valuable things in life, so I wanted to take full advantage of it while I could," Blaine explained, earning a lot of points with Kurt because of it. Not that Kurt had thought Blaine was anything but intelligent – but to know how he thought about the world impressed Kurt.

"Can we stop up here? I'm feeling kind of dizzy," Blaine asked.

Kurt pulled off the highway at Russell's Point and parked the car. He looked at Blaine, assessing whether he needed to get him some medical help when he saw how blanched and pale he was.

"Are you alright?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah, I think so. I'm not used to driving so far – we didn't go by car much in Italy, and I guess I got a little lightheaded. Maybe it's jet lag?" Blaine commented.

"Do you feel like getting out and walking around a bit? That might clear your head," Kurt suggested.

"I don't want to make us late to your father's house, Kurt. There's a reason 'First impressions are lasting ones' is a cliché – because it's true," he tried to smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Here, let me drive a bit farther and get a few things at the convenience store up here. Are you okay with that?"

"Sure. I promise I won't get sick in your car, Kurt," Blaine said, closing his eyes.

Kurt drove to the store and got out, quickly buying a few things and getting back in the car.

"Just a bit down this road and we can get out and walk," he assured Blaine, reaching over to grasp his hand for a moment.

Finding the spot he was looking for, Kurt parked and went around to open the door for Blaine. The boy got out of the car, his legs a bit shaky. He almost stumbled, his arm around his stomach, while trying to find his balance. Kurt reached out by instinct, his arms around Blaine's waist as he helped him to the picnic table in the clearing. Blaine sat down, then leaned his head down by his knees.

"Hey, are you going to be okay?" Kurt asked, his panic rising as Blaine's color grew even more pale.

"Yeah...I just need a minute."

Kurt made sure he was stable where he was sitting and went back to the car to get the bag from the store. He took the things out and set them on the table. A bottle of artesian water, a can of ginger ale, a box of saltine crackers, and a small bottle of pills.

"Do you want to try and drink something? Ginger is good for upset stomachs, and this brand uses real ginger," Kurt told him, holding out the can of ginger ale. "Also, I got some ginger pills in case you didn't like ginger ale. There's water – maybe you're dehydrated?" He took Blaine's hand and pinched the skin on the back of it. The skin stayed in the peak for a long moment before going back to it's natural shape.

"Yes, dehydrated. Can you drink or are you too sick to your stomach?"

"I'm not too bad. Water sounds good," Blaine said and Kurt opened the bottle.

"Sorry it's not cold, but I thought cold might upset your tummy even more," Kurt said, handing the bottle to Blaine. Blaine took it and sipped it, a smile gracing his face. He drank most of the bottle, trying not to gulp it and make himself worse.

"Oh, thank you, Kurt. I'm feeling better. Should I try the ginger pills?"

Kurt read the label and shook out two pills, holding them out to Blaine. They seemed to work because in about fifteen minutes he was feeling much better.

"You should drink something, too, Kurt. Is there more water?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah, I think I will. Do you want the ginger ale?"

"I've actually never tried it, but I'm game," Blaine said, popping the top of the can and taking a sip. He took a few more sips, smiling. "This is really good," he said. "Thank you ever so much. I apologize for being such a bother today. I hope you don't think I'm always like this...it must be the sudden change in environment or something."

"It is a big change. Here, would a few crackers help? I used to get them for my mom when she was sick. The medication she took sometimes upset her stomach and we would sit in her room and eat saltines and drink ginger ale, watching a movie or listening to music. I remembered and thought it might help you."

"Your instincts were spot on, I feel so much better. Do you fancy a walk maybe? It is so pretty here. Where are we?" Blaine asked.

"This is Indian Lake State Park. We can walk down by the lake or there is a nice path through the trees?" Kurt asked.

"The trees sound good. I'm not sure I want to get near moving water right now," he laughed.

They got up from the table and walked down the path that went to the trees. There was a bit of a wind coming off the lake, but it wasn't really cold. Blaine reached out his hand tentatively, just brushed against Kurt's. Kurt got the message and took Blaine's hand as they walked.

"It's beautiful here," Blaine said, looking at the trees and grinning at the squirrels playing in the foliage.

"I always feel so peaceful here, you just can't get this feeling in the city. I think I want to go to New York City some day. I wonder how if feels there – oh, I guess they do have Central Park," Kurt said, thinking out loud.

"I've been to New York. It's a place like no other on earth I think. But that's true of Rome, Berlin, Rio, Tokyo...of any city. They are like people almost: their own personalities, their own vibe," Blaine said.

"Have you really been to all of those places? I'd have to take your word for it, as I said before, I've never been out of Ohio," Kurt lamented.

"Yes, my dad is a diplomat, so we went to a lot of places. I was usually in boarding school, but in the summer we'd go with him. You'll go some day, I know you will. In the mean time, we can enjoy this place, right? I thought it would be kind of boring, maybe not such a nice place. I know from what my Uncle Andy told me that it isn't kind to people like me, but I think you reap what you sow in this life. I hope if I project a positive light that I will get that in return," Blaine expounded.

"If that were only true," Kurt sighed. "I haven't found it to be true at all."

"Wait...what do you mean?"

"The reason I transferred to Dalton. Your uncle left me enough money to attend Dalton because he knew I was being bullied at McKinley. I ran...from the bullies. I suppose I should be ashamed of that, but I try to look at it as survival. If I can get through high school, I can move to New York. Or anywhere. He gave me a chance at a new life, Blaine, and I am so grateful," Kurt said, his face sad at the thought of Andy being gone.

"You...you were bullied because you're gay?" Blaine asked, seeming a bit taken back by the statement.

"Yes, of course. You knew that, didn't you?"

"Well, I suspected, but it's not as if we have tags on, or have it tattooed on our foreheads – and I have been wrong before." Blaine looked away, blushing a little.

"Okay, I'll give you that one. I assumed you were, too, but I didn't ask," Kurt said, looking at Blaine to see if he reacted to the statement.

"Yeah...gold star gay here," he smiled, raising his hand and fluttering his fingers.

They walked on in silence, looking at the scenery and listening to the birds singing. It was nice in the forest, like being a million miles from anyone else. Blaine nodded towards a bit of grass under an ash tree.

"Would you like to sit down?" he asked, and Kurt nodded. They sat together, watching a bird as she flitted from branch to branch in the tree above them.

"Are you feeling better?" Kurt asked.

"Yes, but my stomach still hurts a little. I just wanted to rest for a few minutes before we walked back," Blaine said.

Kurt looked at him, raising his eyebrows in question as he patted the grass in front of him. Blaine smiled a bit and moved to sit between Kurt's legs. He felt kind of funny doing that, but as soon as he sat down, Kurt pulled him gently back so his back was resting against Kurt's chest. Kurt's arms went around his waist. Blaine settled back against his new friend.

"Is this okay?" Kurt asked, worried he was being too forward.

"Yeah, it feels comfortable, thank you, Kurt."

Kurt moved his hands down to rest on Blaine's belly, letting the warmth of his hands penetrate the fabric and spread warmth to Blaine's sore stomach. Blaine felt better already. He snuggled his head against Kurt's shoulder and placed his hands on Kurt's over his belly.

"You're sure this is okay?" Kurt asked once more. He didn't want to push Blaine into something he was too polite to refuse. Kurt moved his head down to leave a kiss on Blaine's curls without thinking. Blaine liked that and wondered if Kurt was even aware he'd done it.

"You smell wonderful..." Kurt blurted out, then realized what an intimate statement that was.

"Oh, sorry...but you do smell nice."

Blaine laughed. "It's black pepper and bergamont body wash. I love the stuff. I hope I can find it here in the States, I got this in Italy," he said, cuddling back a bit more to be closer to Kurt's warm hands. They felt so good on his very sensitive stomach. Between the jet lag and being sick, Blaine was very drowsy and comfortable. He closed his tired eyes and fell asleep.

Blaine jumped, waking Kurt up. He looked up to see a squirrel. He must have been the one to drop the acorn on the boys.

"Oh, I was so comfortable I fell asleep. I'm sorry, Kurt," Blaine apologized, looking in his pocket for his watch. They had been there for a little over an hour. "Oh! I made us late. Will your father worry? Maybe we should call?"

"No, I didn't tell him what time we were coming and it's only two. Supper isn't until six, so we're fine. I fell asleep, too. It's so peaceful here," Kurt yawned and stretched, Blaine feeling Kurt's taut muscles through his shirt.

"I guess we better go. I feel so much better. I think it was just the jet lag, the ginger pills helped, I'll have to keep those in mind."

They helped each other up, brushing the grass from their clothes and straightening everything before walking back to Kurt's car. It was only another twenty minutes to Lima. Kurt turned off the highway and drove through the city center, coming to an auto shop. Kurt pulled into the parking lot.

"Is there something wrong with your car?" Blaine asked.

"Nope. I have someone I want to introduce you to," Kurt grinned. He went around and opened Blaine's door. "Come on, he doesn't bite!"

Blaine got out of the car and looked at the shop. Then he noticed the name on the window "Hummel Tires & Lube".

"Oh, your father's shop! I guess I never asked what he did for a living. Do I look alright?" Blaine asked, licking his lips and trying to see in the rear-view mirror to check his hair.

"Almost – here, let me help..." Kurt said, urging Blaine to stand straight and then patting a few strands of curls back into place and picking a stray leaf from his sweater. "There, you look great," Kurt encouraged.

They walked into the shop and the little bell above the door tinkled. They could see legs sticking out from under a Mercedes in the first bay. An old golden retriever ambled out of the office and wagged his tail at Kurt.

"Hey, Murphy, how are you, boy?" Kurt said in a low voice, rubbing the dog's ears.

"I'll be with you in two shakes..." a gruff voice said. He rolled out from under the car on the creeper and blinked in the bright shop lights. "What can I do for you?" he asked, looking up at Blaine.

"We need to speak to the owner," Kurt said and his dad turned to look at his son.

"Kurt!" Burt crowed. He was always happy to see his son. He rolled all the way out and stood up. "Hey, bud, you're early. I didn't expect you until closer to supper time," he said, standing up and wiping his hands on a rag. He hugged his son gingerly so as not to get any grease on Kurt's clothes. Then he turned to Blaine, his hand out to shake.

"Dad, this is my roommate, Blaine Anderson. Blaine, this is my father, Burt Hummel."

"It's good to meet you, sir," Blaine said, shaking Burt's hand with a firm grip.

"Good to meet you, also, but please call me Burt," he said.

"Burt it is. Thank you," Blaine gave him a genuine smile.

"And this is Murphy," Kurt said, petting the dog.

"Hey, fella, you're a friendly guy, aren't you?" Blaine cooed, giving the old dog a rub, too.

"How much more do you have until quitting time?" Kurt asked. Burt only worked on Saturdays to do any overflow from the week or for a special job.

"I can go anytime. I just thought I'd get this car lubed so it's ready first thing Monday. Maybe another half hour. Meet you at home?" Burt said.

"Sure, I'll go ahead and get supper started. I'll see you in a short while," Kurt said and Burt slid back under the car.


	14. Chapter 14 - Friday Night Supper

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Fourteen – Friday Night Supper**

"What would you like for supper, Blaine?" Kurt asked when they got back in his Navigator. "I have to go to the grocery store, so we can pick anything we want."

Blaine smiled. His stomach was definitely doing better and he was hungry.

"Should we start with a salad or soup?" he asked, watching Kurt's face.

"I like soup, but it takes so long to make. Let's go with a big salad," he suggested. "Then what for the entrée?"

"You can't go wrong with pasta...or with pizza," he said.

"I would think that pizza is one of those American things – like chow mein – that is actually an American dish, but they say it's from another country," Kurt suggested.

"Well, I don't know about that – but they do make it differently in Italy. How about I make it for you tonight, Italian style?"

"That sounds lovely!"

They paid for the groceries and went back to Kurt's house, Blaine commenting enthusiastically on the large kitchen.

"This is so nice. All the right things in reach...so nice," he mumbled as they set out the groceries on the counter. Blaine made the yeast dough and hand-tossed the pizzas. He decided to teach Kurt how to do that when he showed an interest, but the flour and the dough got all over the kitchen, their aprons, and clothes. The boys were giggling and throwing the dough at each other until they heard the back door slam and Burt walked around the corner, his dog, Murphy, at his heel.

Burt just stood there, his mouth agape for a second, then calmly walked through the kitchen on his way to the den and his recliner. They heard him turn on the television and a snap as he opened his newspaper to read it.

Blaine, his face red with embarrassment, looked at Kurt. Kurt looked back at him and suddenly they burst into laughter.

"I guess we better get the rest of the pizzas made and then clean this all up," Kurt said. Blaine made the pizzas, and they went into the oven. Working together, the boys cleaned up the kitchen. Blaine went upstairs to the guest room and Kurt down to his bedroom in the basement.

Kurt changed into his lounging clothes...yoga pants and a soft cotton shirt, both a sky blue that made is eyes stand out. Blaine, put on jeans and a t-shirt he had borrowed from Kurt and his Chuck Taylor basketball shoes. Kurt was only wearing socks on his feet.

They got back to the kitchen just in time to get the pizzas out of the oven and set the table.

Supper was fun, both Hummel men asking all kinds of questions about the places Blaine had traveled, and he had a good many funny stories about all the places. Kurt sat, eating the delicious pizza and trying not to ogle Blaine in his borrowed shirt that was a bit tight across the chest and showed off Blaine's biceps in the best possible way. His mind kept drifting off to images of Blaine with even less clothing on, of him naked in the shower...Kurt shook his head. His dad had just asked him something.

"I'm sorry, Dad, I didn't hear you," he said. Burt gave him a sympathetic smile and repeated his question.

"I thought you guys might like to go see a movie tonight. I'm going to watch the ballgame, and I know that isn't your favorite, so how about I spring for a movie and snacks?" Burt suggested.

"Oh, that would be great. Thanks, Dad," Kurt accepted the offer.

After supper, he and Blaine cleared the table and did the washing up. Downstairs in Kurt's bedroom, the boys looked up what was playing and showtimes. They finally decided on the Back to the Future revival marathon playing at the local drive-in. Blaine left to go change in the guest room and Kurt got ready in his room. He skipped the shower, in spite of the fact that there was still some flour left in his hair, so they wouldn't be late for the start of the first movie.

"Okay, boys. Have a good time," Burt laughed when they told him they were going to see the marathon. "It won't get out until after two in the morning, so be quiet when you come in, okay?" Burt asked.

"Of course, Mr Hummel," Blaine said politely.

"Sure thing, Dad," Kurt said, kissing his father's cheek goodbye.

~ ~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~ ~

"I remember when I saw this one in a movie theatre," Kurt said, smiling over at Blaine. "I saw it with my grandmother. I sure miss her."

"Oh, I understand. I miss being around my grandparents in Australia, we moved to Italy after they passed away. I'm sorry you miss yours," Blaine said, reaching over to squeeze Kurt's hand. Kurt gave him a sad smile and squeezed back. Blaine didn't want the evening to be sad, so he got back to what Kurt said about the movie.

"I didn't see Back to the Future until it was on DVD, we didn't go out to movies very much when I was a kid."

"What did you do for fun?" Kurt asked. He didn't want to be ignorant and say something cliché like 'Did you chase kangaroos?' or 'Did you hang around with the Croc Hunter?"

"I went to the symphony or the ballet, sometimes the opera. It took me a few years to let opera get under my skin, but now I love it," Blaine said, his lips in a shy smile. He wasn't sure how his love of music might sit with his new friend. "Have you ever been?"

"No. I've seen musicals on stage at the local playhouse and sometimes Grandma would get tickets to the college plays and go with me – but never opera."

"Well, we will have to remedy that soon," Blaine said.

They watched the movie for a while.

"Kurt, you look so uncomfortable sitting behind the steering wheel, could we maybe get in the back seat? I think we can still see the screen just fine and you would be more comfortable," Blaine suggested.

"Sure, that sounds good. You're right, the steering wheel is in my way," Kurt agreed. They got into the backseat and settled down. Kurt got out the snacks he had prepared for the marathon: fresh fruit and a thermos of hot tea.

"Oh, I love nectarines," Blaine said, taking a slice. They ate the fruit, watching the movie for a while. Kurt found a raspberry and held it out to Blaine, who took it with his lips, his breath on Kurt's hand and the brush of Blaine's lips on his fingers bringing a rush to his head. Was that deliberate? He glanced at Blaine, but wasn't sure. He searched the container for something else and held out a grape. Blaine looked in his eyes, something in the depths of his making Kurt have another deep shiver as Blaine took the fruit from his fingers – this time with a little satisfied hum as he ate the grape.

Kurt put the lid back on the bowl and set it aside. He watched the movie, but he wasn't paying much attention to it. All he was thinking about was his roommate. He found himself squirming in his seat and made an excuse, leaving the car to go use the restroom. Business done, he stood outside the building and took a deep breath of the night air. He could smell buttered popcorn and walked to the refreshment bar, wanting some popcorn but changing his mind when he saw something else.

Back at the car, he got in the back seat and handed a paper cone to Blaine.

"Oh! Fairy floss!" Blaine exclaimed, giving Kurt a kiss on his cheek in his enthusiasm.

"Fairy floss?" Kurt asked, not familiar with the name.

"Yes, we used to get this at the fair when I lived in Melbourne. I love this stuff," he crowed, taking a bit with his fingers and putting it in his mouth.

"Oh, we call it cotton candy here," he said, taking a bite of his own. His was pink and he got blue for Blaine. They didn't have different flavors, just colors.

"I should know that. I think they call it candy floss in England," Blaine mentioned. He took another bite. "Thank you so much, Kurt. This is such a great treat."

They sat and ate the sweet stuff, talking about the fairs Blaine went to in Australia and the carnivals Kurt had gone to when they were children. The movie was almost over by the time they finished the cotton candy and both boys were full.

"Shall we have a little tea while the second movie starts?" Blaine asked. At Kurt's nod, he poured some in each cup and they sipped at the hot beverage. "What kind of tea is this? It's very good," Blaine praised the drink.

"It's called 'Red Zinger', it's mostly hibiscus flower with a few more, I think peppermint and cherry bark."

"It's wonderful. Thank you, Kurt," Blaine said, his shy smile back on his lips. They watched the movie for a while until Kurt felt the warmth of Blaine's skin so close to him. He glanced over and Blaine was right there, almost touching. Kurt leaned just a skoch, and their bare forearms were touching. Blaine moved again and he was full-out leaning on Kurt. He looked at Kurt's face to determine his reaction and Kurt smiled. He leaned back and helped Blaine shift until Blaine was sitting between his legs, Kurt's leg was on the seat and Blaine was leaning his back against Kurt's chest the way they had done it at the park that afternoon.

"Are you okay with this?" Kurt asked, now a bit shy himself. He had never had a boy this close to him before and he was struggling with not getting excited. Blaine's head was on his shoulder and he could smell the scent of his black pepper body wash – spicy and citrusy – and totally intoxicating. Without realizing it, he let a small moan escape.

Blaine's breath hitched. Was that what he thought it was? Kurt moaned just because they were cuddled on the seat together? Damn, now he was thinking inappropriate thoughts. He squirmed a little, trying to shift a little farther away so as not to be resting his weight against Kurt's crotch but the move backfired as he ended up rubbing against Kurt in a very intimate way. This time the quiet little moan was much more distinguishable.

"I need to use the restroom, Kurt. I'll be right back," Blaine excused himself, stumbling as he got out of the car and headed to the building where the facilities were. He walked quickly, embarrassed that he had made the situation worse when all Kurt was trying to do was show him a good time. He took care of business and sauntered back to the Navigator...but he couldn't find it. He went to where he thought it was, but it was the wrong row, then he saw the car several rows away. Coming up on that car, he realized the fuzzy dice hanging from the rear-view mirror weren't Kurt's.

Blaine was about to panic. He knew the Navigator was parked away from the building, but this was a large lot and there were a lot of cars. He went back to the building and started again. Finally, he saw Kurt walking towards him and he fell into his arms.

"I cannot believe I got lost in a drive in!" Blaine said, his relief evident.

"I wondered when you didn't come back, then I heard some cars blowing their horns over by the fence. I was worried they were harassing you..." Kurt shrugged. He took Blaine's hand and led him back to the Navigator. The second movie was about to end, so they got back into the back seat and sat next to each other. The movie started and both boys agreed this was a much better movie than the second one, which seemed to be little more than an advertisement for the third. Blaine yawned.

"Are you getting sleepy?" Kurt asked. "We can go home if you'd like."

"No, I really am having a great time, Kurt. Thank you for taking me. I'm game to see this last one, though," he said and Kurt took him at his word.

About half-way through movie number three, Blaine was leaning on Kurt dozing off. He fell asleep draped across his side, arms moving around his waist as he laid his head in Kurt's lap. Instead of being irritated, Kurt ran his fingers through Blaine's soft curls. Blaine sighed a very contented sigh. As the movie droned on, Kurt's eyes got heavy and he slid back on the seat, finding his arms around Blaine. At the end of the movie, the theater staff turned up the sound level in an effort to wake it's patrons up. The loud crackling from the speakers woke both boys and they blushed, finding themselves wrapped around each other. They got out of the car, brushed themselves off and got back in the front seat.

"Are you okay to drive home?" Blaine asked and Kurt rubbed his face.

"Yeah, give me a minute to drink a Coke and I'll be fine," he said, finding one in the small ice chest they had brought. He offered one to Blaine and drank it.

"There, I'm fine now. Let's get home," he said, looking over at Blaine.

"I had a great time, Kurt. Sorry I fell asleep at the end there. I must be getting old or something, I used to have such great stamina," Blaine said, getting a giggle from his friend.

"Ah, if you say so," Kurt laughed again and Blaine blushed.

~ ~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~ ~

Back at the Hummel house, the boys went in the door, careful to be as quiet as possible.

"I'll see you in the morning, Blaine. Do you have everything you need?" Kurt asked when they parted ways at the stairs to the basement. Blaine started to turn to go upstairs to the guest room, but stopped short.

"Yes, I'll be fine. Goodnight, Kurt," he said, leaning forward to kiss Kurt on the cheek.

"Goodnight, Blaine. Sweet dreams," Kurt returned and went down the stairs quickly before he couldn't stop himself from kissing Blaine's beautiful mouth.

Kurt had his pajamas on and was just about to turn off his light when there was a knock at his door. He got up to open it and found Blaine standing there.

"Everything okay? Are you feeling ill again after all the stuff we ate at the movies?"

"I'm fine, Kurt. But...there's a guy in my bed," he said, blushing.

"What?" Kurt asked.

"A guy – a boy. In the bed in the guest room. He's a really big guy and he's asleep in the bed. I didn't want to wake him, but I need a blanket or something and I can sleep on the sofa," he said, still sounding a bit weird.

"Let me go check this out," Kurt said, shaking his head. He went up the stairs, Blaine following, and walked to the guest room, opening the door. There in the bed was Finn Hudson from his former school McKinley High. Kurt just stood there, looking and then quietly left the room, closing the door quietly.

"Ah, I know him. He went to my high school – before Dalton. But as to why he's asleep in my guest bed? No idea. I'm going to go see if Dad is awake," Kurt said. He went to his father's room, Blaine beside him. He opened the door and peeked in – there was his father in his bed. With a woman. Kurt just stood there, shocked. He had no idea who that woman was, but he was not going to wake his father to find out.

Kurt and Blaine went back down the stairs and Kurt led the way to the kitchen. There, on the dining table, was a note.

**_Kurt -_**

**_My friend, Carole, came over with her son to watch the game with me. _**

**_It got late, so I put Finn in the guest room._**

**_ I didn't think Blaine would mind bunking with you since you're roommates already._**

**_See you in the morning._**

**_- Dad_**

Kurt's eyes got huge. His dad was sleeping with his girlfriend – who was the mother of one of the football team bullies at his old school. Wow. He turned to Blaine, who had read the note over his shoulder.

"Ah, I guess we're 'bunking' together tonight? Wait, you know, I can sleep on the sofa in the den. I'm short enough that it won't be uncomfortable. I don't want to be a problem for you, Kurt, after you have been so accommodating," Blaine rushed out all in one breath. He really liked Kurt, could see a future as his boyfriend maybe, and he didn't want to ruin it now.

"No, Blaine. I have a queen-size bed, and we will fit just fine. Unless you feel weird being in the same bed with me? I don't want you to be uncomfortable," Kurt added.

"Kurt, I'm so tired I might just lie down here on the linoleum and fall asleep," he giggled. Kurt took his hand and they went back to Kurt's room.

"Go ahead and use my shower if you want", Kurt offered.

"I'm too tired. I brushed my teeth in the guest bath before I realized I had...ah...company, but I wasn't able to get my pajamas without turning on the light. Do you maybe have something I can borrow for the night?"

"Sure, just a sec," Kurt went to his dresser and got out a pair of his silk pajamas, a dark emerald green instead of his usual red or blue. "We might need to roll up the sleeves and pant legs, but they will probably fit."

Blaine went into the bathroom to change and came out with floppy cuffs over his hands. Kurt giggled.

"Come here, I'll fix those," he said and rolled the sleeves up.

"Goodnight again," Blaine laughed and climbed into bed beside Kurt. They went to the edge of their respective sides of the bed and promptly fell asleep.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Burt crept down the basement stairs the next day. It was almost noon and even if the boys got in at 2:30, they should have had enough sleep by now. He knocked on the door, but got no answer, so he opened it carefully. There was an octopus in the middle of Kurt's bed. The two boys were tangled together, arms and legs everywhere. Burt wondered how they could sleep like that. He coughed, but neither one so much as batted an eyelash.

Burt was in a quandary. He couldn't very well say anything to Kurt about being inappropriate because he slept with Carole last night. And it was anything but chaste. But Kurt was still a kid and Burt didn't want anything of a sexual nature going on under his roof, well as far as it concerned Kurt anyway.

He couldn't help himself, he walked into the bathroom, but the wastebasket was empty, no sign of prophylactics or lubrication bottles. He walked to the side of Kurt's bed: empty wastebasket. Well, he knew Kurt would be safe after all of their talks, so he figured Kurt hadn't done anything with Blaine. He sniffed the air...no scent of...Burt hit himself on the head. This was none of his business. It was his fault that Blaine was in this bed, so if something had happened, he was the one to blame. He turned and marched to the staircase, very irritated with himself for being such a snoop. He was about to take the first step when he heard a noise behind him. He turned to see Kurt untangling himself from Blaine's limbs, a surprised look on his face at the strange way he had woken up. He looked up.

"Oh, hi, Dad," he said, then startled, looking back at the bed and again to his dad. "Honest, Dad...I have no idea how this happened," he said, indicating the sprawled figure still asleep on the bed.

Burt had to laugh. "I think he is used to sleeping alone, kid," Burt laughed and went back up the stairs.

Kurt sat for a moment, taking in everything that had happened since last night and looking at the smiling face of his roommate.


	15. Chapter 15 - Manic Monday

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Fifteen – Manic Monday**

"_Six o'clock already  
I was just in the middle of a dream  
I was kissin' Valentino  
By a crystal blue Italian stream  
But I can't be late  
'Cause then I guess I just won't get paid  
These are the days  
When you wish your bed was already made  
It's just another manic Monday"_

Kurt woke up, thinking the radio was on the oldies station again and it was turned up awfully loud. He turned over, finding it hard to open his eyes. When he did, he realized it wasn't the radio. It was Blaine. He was sitting on his bed, putting on pink socks that sported yellow and green polka dots. He was wearing his Dalton uniform, all except the blazer and tie – but polka dot socks?

"Hey, Kurt. Did I wake you?" Blaine asked just as Kurt's alarm went off.

"I was getting up anyway. Love the socks, Blaine," he said, not sure if he actually did or if it was sarcastic. Looking at Blaine's face he decided it was the former. He smiled back.

"Thanks. I'm done in the bathroom if you want a shower," Blaine said, walking over to the closet to get a tie from the rack. He tied it around his neck in a fancy knot.

"I will take you up on that offer. I don't know why I'm so tired today," Kurt said, getting up and taking his clean clothes into the bathroom with him. That way the shirt would steam out any wrinkles that Kurt's iron didn't find and he could get dressed in private.

"I was going out to the kiosk for coffee – can I get you a cup of herbal tea?" Blaine asked.

"That is the best offer I've had all day, Blaine. Yes, thank you," he kidded. Blaine laughed.

"I'll be right back," and left for the kiosk across from campus.

Kurt got into the shower, anxious to take care of his morning wood before Blaine got back. The last few times he had come out of the bathroom, Blaine had looked at him...suspiciously? Well, maybe it was all in Kurt's guilty head, however - he was determined to stop making those noises. But he was so weak in the mornings, having nine times out of ten just been dreaming of Blaine's naked body. He wished he could actually _see_ Blaine's naked body, just once, but that was unlikely.

At first he was ashamed to use his innocent friend as material to get himself off, but it just...it worked better than anything and his orgasms were deeper, longer...better. He could only imagine how they would feel if it were Blaine's hand on his erection right now. Damn, that was all it took - just a random thought about Blaine and his gorgeous body and Kurt was stiff and hard as a block of marble. He washed his hair, determined not to touch himself until he was done washing, then if there was time...

He got to his chest, washing with his trade-mark soap: sage and carnation, when he brushed over a nipple and suddenly just could not wait another minute. His soapy hand reached for his throbbing cock and stroked with determination to get it done before Blaine got back. He was just at the edge, that amazing feeling just before it peaked, that point where the anticipation might even be better than the climax itself. The time when all of his muscles were strung tight, his toes curling and heart pounding, his breath held for so long in his lungs that he was lightheaded, and when he let go, the warmth filling him as the lights flickered behind his eyelids, his essence spurting and spilling out and he let out a moan so deep that no one would ever believe it came from _his_ throat.

Just as Kurt hit that edge, Blaine had breezed back in, the tray of cardboard cups in his hand. He heard the moan – louder than he had ever heard it before. So loud and primal that his knees got weak and wobbly and he had to rush to set the cups on the bedside table so he wouldn't spill them as his cock stood at attention, seeking some sort of relief. Usually Blaine could suppress this reaction, telling himself that Kurt was just working off some tension. But what Kurt had moaned out _this time_ was so loud that Blaine could not have mistaken the words for anything else, he was shocked into some sort of frozen state. Every muscle and bone in his body was alert, and that muscle in his pants was the most alert of them all.

Turning quickly to leave the room so as not to let Kurt know he was there and overheard his erotic noises, Blaine caught his jacket on the edge of the cardboard tray from the kiosk and upended the hot coffee and tea all over Kurt's unmade bed. It was all over the Egyptian cotton sheets, soaking into the mattress and Blaine said a very bad word. In German. He left the room in search of the janitor's closet to get a mop and things to clean it up.

Kurt had been too far gone in his dreamworld to hear Blaine enter the room. He was indulging himself in his favorite fantasy, Blaine naked and Kurt on his knees in front of him, reaching up to take that thick, long..._what was that_? A squeak came unbidden from Kurt's throat, ruining the fantasy as he looked down to his now partially limp cock and realizing that Blaine was back in the room. He had no idea when he'd gotten back or how much he heard, but he realized what Blaine heard was not meant for his ears. Especially when what Kurt heard from Blaine was a forceful swear word.

Blaine didn't swear often, although over the past few weeks Kurt had discovered that his roommate could, and occasionally did, swear in at least four languages. This time must have been bad because he heard Blaine say things in German that were not anatomically possible. Kurt turned off the shower and got out, wrapping one towel around his waist and one over his shoulders before entering the room.

What met his eye wasn't his irate Aussie-Italian roommate, but an empty room and two large drink glasses with their contents spilled across Kurt's bed. Kurt rushed back in the bathroom, grabbing several of the thick Turkish towels and tried to blot up the liquid that was soaking into his mattress. He may have said a few words in French that even Blaine hadn't imagined.

Down the hall in the janitor's closet, Blaine couldn't help but have Kurt on his mind. When he heard his roommate moaning, he knew what he was doing in the shower – he did it often enough, after all. Did Kurt think that Blaine couldn't hear him? No, he thought Blaine was out getting the drinks. Kurt probably didn't know Blaine was back. But with the loud moaning, he heard exactly what Kurt had groaned: "_Ohhhh...fuck me, Blaine, PLeaseeee_".

Blaine shook his head, knowing he wasn't meant to hear that. Did Kurt know now that Blaine had heard him? He was ready to panic – and to make it worse, he was so hard it hurt. Really hurt. His cock was straining against his briefs, balls tight and needy, his heart throbbing in his chest, his vision when he closed his eyes was full of scenes of Kurt in a beautiful state of undress...

Blaine looked around, seeing the sink in the corner and the lock on the door. Quickly he unzipped his Dalton trousers and flipped the lock on the door. He stood near the sink, a clean towel in his hand, and began to stroke himself. It was desperate as he thought of the coffee soaking into Kurt's bed, but Blaine couldn't go back to the room in this state. He closed his eyes and concentrated on a vision of Kurt, with his pale skin and hard muscles...those ocean-blue eyes sparkling, his soft hands …. Blaine had held his hand a lot and knew how soft they were. If those hands were to touch him, stroke him...and Blaine was _there_, now taking his time to give this last bit the attention it deserved, coming with the heat breaking out sweat on his forehead as he daydreamed of having Kurt touching him.

The orgasm did not last long enough, not _nearly_ long enough – but Blaine cleaned up and tucked himself back in the uniform trousers. He grabbed towels and a mop bucket and by the time he got back to the dorm room, Kurt had on briefs and a t-shirt and was in the act of mopping the coffee and tea off of his mattress. He jerked his head up, staring at Blaine, but he didn't say a word.

Blaine thought he might be angry, but that wasn't the case. He started to tell Kurt what happened, but Kurt interrupted him.

"Are you okay? Did you trip on the rug?" Kurt asked, looking genuinely worried. "Have you been getting light-headed again?"

"No...I was setting the tray down on the table and my jacket got caught, I spilled it on your bed and went to get cleaning supplies..." Blaine said, mopping the floor where the hot liquids were dripping from the mattress.

"Don't worry – it could happen to anyone, Blaine. We can just clean this up..." Kurt said. "I have a fan – let's put the mattress on it's side and then put the fan blowing towards it? That could dry it enough to sleep on tonight. Now, we need to get to class. I don't need Miss Speyer to scold us in front of the class again," Kurt said, glaring at Blaine who blushed. They had been late last Monday when Blaine took too long at breakfast.

Blaine quickly set the mattress on it's side and set the fan to blow on it while Kurt got dressed. They made it to their History class with three minutes to spare.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

After morning classes, Blaine and Kurt hurried back to their dorm room. The mattress was still soaked. Blaine hung his head, feeling terrible. As they made their way back to the classroom building for Advanced Conversational French, Blaine excused himself and walked around the corner of the building. He found a shady spot on a bench and, looking around to be sure he wasn't observed, he placed a phone call.

"_Yes, deliver it to the dormitory building. I am in room 206. I need the old mattress removed, too. Yes." _

"_..."_

"_Then when can it be delivered? No, I am in class until three tomorrow. Well, okay...then Saturday?" _

"_..."_

"_Ten is fine. I'll be here. Have them call me and I'll come down and let them into the building. Okay. Thank you, sir." _

"_..."_

"_On my Mastercard. I'll sign when it is delivered. Goodbye."_

Blaine let out a sigh. This was not a good day. He could fix what he had done, but they weren't going to deliver the new mattress until Saturday since he was in class all day. Well, he shrugged. It was the best he could do. He stood up, brushed off his slacks and jogged to the classroom building and sprinted down the hall just before the bell rang.

He slid into his seat beside Kurt in the back row and got out his French notebook. Kurt gave him a quizzical look, but Blaine just shrugged.

When the teacher was explaining the current assignment Blaine leaned over a bit and whispered, "I'm sorry," to Kurt. He really did feel awful about it.

Kurt saw the sad look on Blaine's face and it broke his heart. He reached under the desk and took Blaine's hand, giving it a squeeze. He smiled at his friend and finally Blaine smiled back.

After classes were over, the boys walked back to the dorm. The mattress was still drenched, and the sheets were soaking in the bathtub. Blaine got his laundry basket out and wrung out the sheet as much as possible. He had thrown the sheet in there, added an enzyme pre-treat and hoped for the best.

"I'm headed for the laundry room, Kurt, I'll be back in a while," he called as he left the room. He was lucky the coffee had not landed on the upper bedclothes, so he only had the bottom sheet to clean. He went into the laundry and sat with a book, waiting and hoping the sheet was salvageable. He's been sitting on the uncomfortable bench, absorbed in the book when something warm settled up against him. He glanced over and smiled at Kurt.

"Hey, I came to keep you company. I don't want you to worry, I can just put the mattress back on the bed tonight – I'll just put the wet side down," Kurt said.

"No, it will get mildew, and you can't get rid of that stink. No, it was all my fault, I was so clumsy. I will give you my bed and I'll borrow that air mattress from Nick. I think that will work fine," he said.

"Okay, let's compromise? I can sleep in your bed with you. We did it that weekend at my dad's house. Would you be comfortable with that?"

"Ah...sure, Kurt. That would be fine," Blaine agreed. He knew he should borrow the air mattress, but the truth was that he had liked sleeping next to Kurt. The boy was warm and snuggling next to him just felt good. He gave Kurt a warm smile and they went to see how the sheet came out.

An hour later, Blaine was folding the newly cleaned sheet. He was amazed that it had come clean after sitting all day, but he wasn't looking a gift horse in the mouth. Kurt was happy, so he was, too.

They went to supper in the dining hall, He had the chicken soup and Kurt had the salad. Both of them much preferred to have their largest meal at noon and then a lighter supper. They returned to the dorm and worked on homework together, then went over a few songs they wanted to suggest to The Warblers for sectionals. Both were in a good mood by evening. After their nighttime routines of brushing their teeth, getting water to set beside the bed, getting pajamas on, they were ready for bed.

"Which side?" Blaine asked. Unlike Kurt's queen-sized bed in Lima, this was a smaller full size bed. He was a little worried about the fact that he tended to sprawl all over the bed, but Kurt knew that, so he tried to rein in his nerves.

"I'll take the side next to the wall," Kurt offered. He didn't want to be pushed out of bed by the octopus he knew Blaine turned into when he slept.

"Goodnight," Blaine said, hugging Kurt and kissing his cheek.

"Sweet dreams," Kurt countered, smiling at Blaine. He turned his face to the wall and fell almost immediately asleep.

Both boys slept soundly until about three. Kurt had to get up, he had to piss badly, so he climbed off the bottom of the bed and left to the restroom. Coming back, he saw that Blaine had spread himself all over the whole bed. Kurt tickled his side, making the sleeping boy curl up like a snail. Kurt got back in bed, smiling to himself at his brilliant idea. He was just dozing off when Blaine turned towards him and grabbed him around the waist. He tugged Kurt until he was pasted against his chest, then sighed and stopped moving, seeming to be content with Kurt in his grasp.

Kurt was fine with this. The covers were twisted and he had no hope of recovering them without waking Blaine. So he snuggled back into Blaine's embrace and fell asleep, feeling warm and safe.

They woke up in the morning to a funny smell, like ozone and stale smoke. Kurt blinked and sat up quickly, recognizing something wasn't right. He looked over at the fan still turning, but slower, in front of the mattress. He jumped out of bed – a real accomplishment given that Blaine was tangled up with him – and pulled the plug from the wall, then sprinted to open the bank of windows in the room. Lucky for them, the mattress was not hot enough to catch fire, but the fan was toasted. Kurt took it as soon as it was cool enough to touch, put on his robe and slippers and took it to the dumpster in back of the dorm. Was he ever going to catch a break?

Back in his room, and they took turns with their morning routine and got ready for class. This was going to be a long week. By Wednesday night, Kurt was realizing that his mattress was not going to recover. It now smelled like coffee, herbal tea, and mildew. Even turning it over did not help. Wednesday evening he and Blaine pushed it out to the dumpster. Blaine called the administration office to let them know what happened. He got done on the phone and turned to Kurt.

"I am so sorry about all of this. I called the furniture store on Monday and ordered a new mattress, but they can't deliver it until Saturday because I'm in class all day. I wish I could wave a magic wand and fix it, but that is all I could think of to do," Blaine said, his face so sad.

Kurt had a naughty thought about Blaine's 'magic wand', but wisely kept it to himself and was able to return his expression to a neutral one before Blaine noticed.

"Blaine, you didn't need to do that. I have renter's insurance, they will pay for it," he said. "But I'm glad to hear the new one is on the way. I don't think you are very comfortable with me in your bed every night," Kurt confessed.

"Oh, Kurt...I don't mind at all. You are warm and I like cuddling with you. You can sleep in my bed any time you like," Blaine smiled. Then he gave Kurt a dirty leer and Kurt broke out laughing. He thought how much fun he was having with Blaine when even a bad thing turned out to be not that bad, plus they were laughing and giggling over it. He was grateful for the new mattress, but something inside him longed to be able to sleep cuddled with Blaine every night.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Sleeping in the same bed with Blaine in such close quarters made Kurt's little problem into a big problem. Now his dreams were always about Blaine, in various stages of undress and desirability. He woke up several times each night with an erection that stubbornly refused to relax and he ended up in the bathroom in the middle of the night taking care of himself with ever diminishing satisfaction.

Kurt knew it was a double-edged sword. In spite of how many times he told himself he would not get aroused by a boy that was just a friend – he always did. They started out the evening in separate places, but by the time Kurt woke up with lusty-loins (as his old friend Mercedes used to call it), Blaine had trapped him in his embrace. Lucky it was nice and cool in the dorm room because it would be ten times worse if Kurt was sweating.

Several times Kurt had decided to talk to Blaine about his lecherous sleeping behavior, but backed off each time because if the truth were known, Kurt loved it. He felt so safe and loved to have Blaine holding him. In his heart of hearts, he didn't want it to end.

It was Friday afternoon and Kurt was gathering a few things to take home – his laundry, a recipe he tore out of a newspaper on how to make beef stroganoff with more heart-friendly ingredients, and a book he was reading for English Literature class. He was dawdling and he knew it. From the glances in his direction from Blaine, he wasn't the only one who noticed he was taking his time with this.

"Is everything okay, Kurt?" Blaine asked. "You seem down."

"No. Well, yes in a sense. We have spent every day together since you arrived and now we're spending the whole weekend apart. I guess I'll just miss you," Kurt confessed, blushing faintly as he looked at Blaine from under his lashes.

"I understand, I do. All those days so close, then to be separated. It's probably for the best, however. We should not be so dependent upon each other. We can have a few days to pursue other things, maybe? I think we'll be all right," Blaine said, but Kurt didn't believe that for one minute. He could see in Blaine's eyes that he didn't believe it, either. Kurt just nodded. He left to have Friday Night Supper with his dad.

The next morning, just before ten, the furniture delivery man called to tell Blaine he was on campus. Blaine asked him to drive over to the dorms and he would meet him in the parking lot. He went to let the delivery man in and fifteen minutes later found the new mattress in place and Blaine putting a set of brand new, freshly washed, Dior gray Egyptian cotton 8oo thread-count sheets on the plush new mattress. Then came the soft, warm cotton blanket in white and topped with a matelassé bedspread in dusky blue-gray. Blaine knew Kurt hated puffy comforters stuffed in sub-standard duvet covers, in spite of their current popularity.

Blaine went to Kurt's closet and found the quilt that Kurt's grandmother made for him their last Christmas together. It was, as Kurt had explained, an 'album quilt', with each square a different pattern but the colors of the quilt were done in ocean blues, sage greens, and soft grays with a twinkle of gold here and there. Blaine knew she had made it with Kurt's eye color in mind. He smiled to himself, hoping Kurt would like the new bedcoverings. He was sad that the sleeping arrangements would go back to one per bed, but he couldn't do anything about that.

Just as he finished, there was a knock at his door and he opened it, staring at the newcomer. Blaine leaped forward into the man's arms shouting, "Oh, my god, I've missed you!" and covering his face with kisses.

~ ~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~ ~

It was only Saturday evening and Kurt was restless, pacing back and forth in the kitchen then trying to sit quietly with a book on the back patio, and finally going back to the kitchen to bake something.

"Kurt, if you're that nervous, why don't you go back to Dalton? You look like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs," Burt said with a fake Irish lilt.

Kurt laughed at his father using one of his grandmother's favorite phrases.

"No, I came to see you, Dad. I'm sorry, I guess my mind is on other things right now," Kurt confessed. He knew he wasn't being good company and he felt badly about it. His dad was the most important person in the world to him.

"Is it a big test coming up? Or a term paper due already?" Burt asked, knowing that schoolwork would never get his son this wired up. Kurt did school work the minute he got home from school and Burt doubted it had changed just because he was now attending Dalton.

"No, nothing like that," Kurt said, reaching over to put his hand on his dad's for a moment.

"What about this new singing group? The Warblers? Something up with them? Have you tried out for a solo yet?"

"Yeah, I did. I sang 'Don't Cry For Me, Argentina', but I didn't get picked. They were very encouraging, but some of the guys had tried out six or more times before they got a solo, and then it was never for a show competition," Kurt sighed. He loved being a Warbler, but the lack of opportunities was disheartening.

"Listen, Kurt. I know you're missing your new friend. Blaine is a great kid, I like him a lot. He comes from a good family. I think he is what you're missing, isn't he?" Burt asked, a little bittersweet because he knew that although he wasn't losing Kurt, the boy's interests were headed towards the eventual separation. Kurt was going to New York next year, and Burt couldn't follow him there. He sighed, but having Kurt moping around or pacing in nervous circles wasn't helping either of them.

"It's too late to drive back to school tonight..." Burt started to say, but Kurt interrupted him.

"No, not at all. It's less than 90 minutes and if I leave now, I can get back to my dorm room before ten o'clock curfew," Kurt smiled for the first time in hours.

"You better get on the road then, bud. We can do something next week with Blaine, okay?" Burt suggested.

"Yes, I'd love that, Dad. Have I told you lately that you are the best dad on the planet?" Kurt grinned, hugging his father.

"You have. Thanks, Kurt."

~ ~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~ ~

Kurt turned into the student parking lot, parking in his usual spot. He gathered his clean folded laundry in the laundry basket and put the strap of his messenger bag over his shoulder. Struggling a bit to balance himself, he walked to his dorm room and unlocked the door one-handed, leaning the basket on his hip.

Switching on the light he heard a gasp from Blaine's bed. He blinked his eyes, not believing what he saw there. He dropped his laundry and book bag and stood still for one minute, just staring.

Blaine struggled awake and saw the look in Kurt's eyes. He panicked, trying to untangle himself from the man he was wrapped around – which wasn't easy because the man was sound asleep, their arms wrapped around each other.

"Kurt!" Blaine shouted as his roommate turned around. "Wait! I can explain...it's not what you think!"

"Hey, quit shouting and come back and cuddle me," the man said, trying to pull Blaine back under the covers with him.

Kurt took one breath, turned on his heel and _ran._


	16. Chapter 16 - Tears and Fears

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter 16 – Tears and Fears**

Blaine was out of bed and running, barefoot with just a rolled-up pair of Kurt's silk pajama pants on. He knew he had to get to him fast before Kurt's overactive imagination made this into an irreparable mess.

"Kurt!" Blaine shouted, seeing the outside door shut behind Kurt's running heels. Blaine crashed through it, the doorstop breaking as the door smashed against the stones of the building. Blaine saw the boy just ahead, headed for the woods behind the dormitory.

Blaine didn't waste any more of his breath on shouting, he took in a huge lungful of air and sprinted ahead to catch Kurt.

He practically tackled him, grabbing Kurt's legs as he rounded a corner in the path and Blaine tripped on the too-long legs of the pajama pants. He landed on top of Kurt, quickly flipping him to lie on his back in the leaf debris under a large oak tree. The ground was soft, but the acorns were digging into Kurt's back and he wiggled and squirmed as he tried to get them out from under him.

"Now, I am sorry to have to sit on you, but you are going to listen to me. I think considering what we are to each other, you deserve an answer," Blaine panted out, "and I deserve to be heard. Okay?"

Kurt's feelings were profoundly hurt and he was shaking in anger and disappointment. He genuinely thought that he and Blaine had something very good going, a feeling of attraction and maybe even love, but what was Blaine doing in bed with another man? Kurt was getting angry with himself for being so blind.

"It was _not_ what it looked like, Kurt," was what Blaine heard himself say.

"Well it couldn't have been anything else, could it? Wasn't that you I just saw in bed with another man, shirts off and tangled in his embrace?" Kurt said, on his back so the tears ran down his temples and into his ears. He shook his head to dislodge them, but Blaine was holding him down – wrists above his head and Blaine straddling his hips.

"You don't _understand_," Blaine practically shouted. He closed his eyes, willing his blood pressure to slow down, to will calmness to seep into his bloodstream...gentle, peaceful...

"You don't owe me an explanation. It isn't as if we were dating or anything, Blaine. I have no reason to be angry at you because I have no claim on you. Just, let me up so I can see if Nick or Trent can put me up for a few nights until I can get this sorted. They'll understand," Kurt said, the tears putting pressure on his eyes and making his head throb.

"Kurt, listen to me. Please," Blaine begged. He knew what Kurt thought and even if they had not said the words to each other yet, he knew they had an agreement between the two of them and why Kurt felt betrayed.

"How long have you known...that man? Because I'll never believe you just met him this weekend," Kurt blurted out, not listening.

"About seventeen years," Blaine said. Kurt stopped struggling. That didn't make sense. Blaine was only seventeen now. He heard a noise down the path and looked up. The man was walking towards them and Kurt renewed his struggle.

"Kurt, please. Just let me say three words?" Blaine begged again.

The man walked over to the two struggling on the ground and put out a hand to Blaine, helping him stand up. Then he took Kurt by the biceps and stood him up, holding him in an iron grip.

"You must be Kurt Hummel," the man said. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Cooper Anderson, Blaine's big brother."

Kurt stopped trying to get away and Cooper let him go. He looked at Blaine's face: swollen eyes, red, and a look of such sadness Kurt wanted to bury himself in the ground. He knew he had been wrong, had hurt Blaine with his suspicion. He took a small step towards Blaine, holding out a hand to try and make it right...and everything went black.

~ ~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~ ~

Kurt woke up in his bed, the feel of a soft mattress and new sheets confusing him for a moment. Was he in the hospital? No...that was _his_ ceiling he was staring at. He turned his head and saw Blaine standing across the room, talking to the man he now knew was his...brother?

"Hey, Squirt, he's going to be okay. I promise," the taller man said, taking Blaine in his arms and hugging him briefly. He wiped a few tears from Blaine's wet cheek.

"But...he didn't even wake up when you carried him back inside! Should we take him to the hospital?" Blaine asked, getting agitated. "I caused this...didn't I?"

Blaine looked dejected and Coop rushed to reassure his little brother.

"Calm down, Blaine. You did nothing wrong, kid. Your pal jumped to the wrong conclusion and then didn't let you explain. He'll come around once we talk to him. And no, he doesn't need to go to the hospital. He's going to be fine. His blood pressure was a bit high, but it's back to normal now. Just give him a minute and he'll be back with us. I know you care about him, right?" Cooper asked, his face serous.

Blaine blushed a little.

"Yeah...he means more to me than I can say," Blaine told his brother, a look of love blooming on his face.

"Oh, like that is it? You're in love, I can tell," Coop said, a smile on hi slips and a sparkle in his eye. He put a hand on Blaine's back in solidarity.

"Yeah...it's like that," Blaine said quietly, a soft look in his eyes as he glanced towards Kurt.

Cooper looked over at the bed, too, and they saw Kurt was waking up.

"Hey, welcome back, Tiger," Cooper said, coming into view. "Good to see you awake."

"What happened?" Kurt asked, looking at Blaine when he sat on the edge of the bed.

"You fainted. I think you were just overwrought, but we can take you to the hospital if you want," Blaine said. "Your blood pressure was high, but it came down fast, so it was probably because of how upset you were," Blaine explained.

"My blood pressure?" Kurt said, looking at Blaine.

"Cooper took it when we got back to the dorm. He's in his last year at Case Western Medical School, so he lives in Cleveland," Blaine smiled, "He came home to bring me my car and the keys to the house in case I want to spend weekends or whatever there."

"Oh..." Kurt tried to sit up but he was dizzy.

"Hey, now, let's just have you lie still for a few minutes until you feel better. How about drinking some of this?" Cooper asked, indicating a bottle of Gatorade with a straw in it. Kurt nodded and took a long drink, frowning at the taste.

"That tastes like salty Kool-Aid," he grimaced.

"Yeah, but it will help to restore your electrolytes. Drink more," Cooper demanded, holding the straw for him.

"Can't I just have some tea?" Kurt asked weakly, closing his eyes.

"Tea is a diuretic, this is better," Coop said, putting a hand on Kurt's shoulder.

"He means herbal tea," Blaine explained.

"Oh, well, drink this bottle and then if your blood pressure is okay, you can have some chamomile or something mild," Cooper decided. Actually, Kurt's color was getting better and he seemed more alert.

"Squirt, I think I'm going to go for a walk in the fresh air. I'll be back in about half an hour. Call me if you need me sooner," he said. He gave Kurt another pat on the shoulder and gave his brother an energetic hug.

With Cooper gone, Kurt was back to silence. He still didn't understand the whole thing.

Blaine came over and sat on Kurt's bedside.

"Hey, I know you have some questions, but are you still angry with me?" Blaine asked, his eyes sincere as he looked at Kurt.

"Ah, no. I'm not angry. I'm sorry I jumped to the wrong conclusion, Blaine. Forgive me?"

"There is nothing to forgive. I understand," Blaine said, "It was all just misunderstandings. Tell me, why did you come back tonight instead of tomorrow night?"

"I came back early because I just missed you, Blaine. Could we...could you take off your slippers and get in bed with me? It will be easier to talk I think," Kurt asked. It was dim in the room with only the bedside light on and he suddenly wanted to be holding Blaine's warm hand.

Blaine slipped off his slippers and climbed on the bed, sliding under the covers Kurt was holding for him.

"You missed me?" Blaine asked, looking puzzled.

"Yeah. You have made my life so much better. After Andy died, I didn't really have anyone. The kids at my old high school were not my friends. There were some that I spoke to, casual acquaintances you might call them, but not really friends. I do have some friends here at Dalton...Nick, Trent, Wes, Jeff, Eddie, but none of them are all that close to me. They have all been friends for years, so I feel like an interloper..." Kurt was on the verge of crying and Blaine put his arms around him, laying Kurt's head on his shoulder.

"Oh, Kurt...I do understand. I missed you, too. You are my _best_ friend. Not just because you're my roommate, but because you're you. I have had this feeling – now don't laugh at me – that we were somehow meant to be together. Like fate had made up it's mind to put us together in spite of everything else in our lives. I remember seeing you that first day we met, when you took my hand and pulled me out of that chaos on the staircase, I knew it was you I was meant to meet," Blaine said, then looked into Kurt's eyes. "Please, I know I sound crazy, I do. But it was such a strong feeling, and it's only gotten stronger with every passing day."

Kurt sat, stunned. This was exactly what he had been feeling, but he thought he was just making it up in his head because he was lonely and found Blaine to be so attractive. Not just physically, but they just fit together as if they were made for each other.

"Oh, Blaine. Then I'm not crazy...that is, just...exactly what I was thinking all this time. And when I was so far away from you? It started Friday afternoon when I was getting ready to leave to go home to Lima, I felt all jumbled inside. Nervous, jittery. I had a good time with my dad, but he sent me back on Saturday because I couldn't even sit still. I was pacing and he could tell I was uncomfortable. I felt better as soon as I got in my Navigator and the closer I got to Dalton, the more relaxed I felt. But then...when I was so excited to see you and I walked in..." Kurt looked away, "I'm ashamed that I didn't even give you a chance to explain."

"I'm sorry, too, but let's just let it go. We won't make anything better by hanging on to negative feelings," Blaine said. Kurt nodded.

"I was so surprised to see Cooper when he came. I hadn't seen him in almost a year. He's in med school and I was at boarding school in Italy. I guess my folks asked him to get my car ready – they gave me Grandfather's old one when they decided to register me at Dalton. Cooper is going to stay at our house here in Westerville starting this summer because he got his internship at the hospital here. We went out to eat and when we got here, he realized he didn't have the keys to the house – he left them in the front hall. The housekeeper will be there tomorrow to let him back in, so he was going to stay here with me," Blaine said.

"I had just gotten your new mattress and I put on new sheets and everything, so I asked him if he would just sleep in my bed. But you know that when I fall asleep, I tend to – ah- cuddle with whomever is in the bed with me?" Blaine said, obviously embarrassed.

Kurt laughed.

"I should have figured it out. It's like sleeping with an octopus, and you do look a lot like your brother," Kurt commented. Blaine scowled at him.

"Well, you don't have to insult me," Blaine laughed.

They lay in each other's arms for a little while, just being together, thoughts keeping them from carrying on the conversation.

"I love my new mattress," Kurt finally said, smiling shyly at Blaine. "And the sheets...you didn't have to do this, you know."

"I wanted to. It was my fault," Blaine said.

"It could have happened to anyone," Kurt said.

After more silence, Kurt looked over at Blaine. "You can stay here tonight, give your brother your bed," he offered. Blaine smiled, tightening his arms around Kurt a little.

"Okay. I like waking up next to you," he whispered, then in spite of feeling shy, he leaned in just a few inches and placed his lips on Kurt's mouth, very softly. Kurt felt a spark and kissed back, tender and gentle.

"Goodnight, Blaine," he whispered.

"Goodnight, Kurt."

~ ~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~ ~

Cooper let himself into the dorm room later that night, not surprised to see his brother wrapped around Kurt. He smiled at the memory of all the times he'd woken up in that embrace. He'd often wondered why Blaine did that, was he that insecure? Well, given their home life, he wouldn't be surprised. Their parents accepted their boys as they were, only encouraging them to pursue their dreams. They loved Cooper and Blaine, were proud of their achievements, but had never been demonstrative. It just wasn't in them. Cooper had recognized this early and when his brother was born he made the decision to give him all the love he could show him, including rocking baby Blaine for hours when he was fussy. Even at eleven years old, Cooper recognized Blaine's need for constant loving contact and worried about his future.

Morning dawned to find Cooper up and dressed long before the other two. He just sat and watched them sleeping. He thought that was kind of creepy, but it didn't stop him from doing it. Kurt would turn over and a few inches of space would open between them, then Blaine would scoot over in his sleep, his arms finding their way around Kurt's waist and tug him back close. Kurt would smile in his sleep, snuggling back closer to Blaine and both would sigh. Cooper couldn't help but be happy that Blaine had connected with someone that loved him so much, and didn't mind being suffocated in their sleep, he laughed to himself.

He could see that both of them were shy about touching in public, probably denying how attracted each was to the other. But in sleep their subconscious selves knew they belonged together. That's the way Cooper read it anyway. He figured it was just a matter of time before one of them broke the ice and then...well, Blaine could do worse than Kurt Hummel. He was a kind and generous boy, according to everything Blaine had told him. Actually, Blaine had spoken of little else since Coop got there. He wasn't bad to look at, either, with that thick chestnut hair, luminous skin, and big blue-gray eyes, Coop laughed to himself. Yes, his baby brother was head-over-heels in love. Cooper sat and smiled to himself.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Hey," Blaine said, his big Bambi eyes opening to see his brother sitting and watching him.

"Good morning, Squirt. How did you sleep? You look well rested," he teased.

"I am fine. So, are we going to the house today?" Blaine asked.

"As soon as you two are up and dressed. I know you want to go get your car, Squirt. Well, it isn't going anywhere - I have the keys right here," Cooper laughed, dangling the keychain in front of Blaine. "I'll even take you out to eat first."

"Oh...thanks, Coop. If you want to take a short walk? I'll get Kurt up and we'll accompany you."

"No problem. I'll go put gas in _my_ car and be back in half an hour?" Cooper asked.

"Sure. See you then."

Blaine was relieved. He knew he could never make it to the bathroom without Cooper seeing the condition of his body – his morning erection was unusually persistent this morning. Kurt had snuggled with him all night and when he woke up, Kurt's ass was nestled in his lap so to speak, rubbing against him. It was going to be awkward no matter what, and having Cooper witness it would be too much.

Blaine started to slip out of Kurt's embrace, but Kurt gripped him tighter – now almost thrusting into Blaine's backside. Kurt must have turned over when Blaine was talking to his brother. Well, there was no help for it, he was going to have to wake Kurt up in order to be ready on time. But just another few seconds to enjoy Kurt's rather large...ah...package sliding against him, the silk pajamas making it so easy to enjoy. Blaine was moving in the same rhythm until he heard a gasp and Kurt sat bolt upright, blinking awake, a horrified look on his face before he dashed out of bed and into the bathroom.

Blaine giggled, knowing just what Kurt was doing in there. Damn. He did know what Kurt was doing, and while he could pretend otherwise before, this time it was so obvious that Kurt had to know that Blaine knew what Kurt was doing in there. Wow, what a tongue twister. Tongue. Argh! The very last thing Blaine needed to be thinking about. He heard the shower water turn on and knew he had to use the facilities. What would Kurt say if Blaine went in there...?

Blaine knocked on the door.

"Yes?"

"Ah, Kurt...if you're in the shower, can I come in and pee?" Blaine asked, slightly embarrassed.

"It can't wait?" Kurt's voice was deeper all of a sudden, and he almost stuttered.

"No. I wouldn't ask if I could wait," he said, exasperated.

"Okay, it's unlocked," Kurt said.

Blaine went in. The steam made the whole room foggy, he could barely see the glass doors of the shower. Now he needed to calm down enough to be _able_ to pee. He closed his eyes and willed his erection to go away, but it was not happening. He could hear Kurt in the shower, not two feet from him with only an etched glass door between them. Was Kurt touching himself? Damn, that was the wrong thing to think of. Now it was worse and Blaine had to think of that!

"Are you okay?" Kurt asked, his voice sounding a bit out of breath. Blaine sat down on the toilet, his legs feeling wobbly with the rush of adrenaline.

"Ummmm, yeah, most of me is okay," he said. Maybe talking would fix it. "Cooper went to get gas in his car, then he invited us to breakfast with him," Blaine said.

"Are we having a conversation – while you pee?" Kurt asked.

Hell with it. Blaine figured this couldn't be any more awkward. He might as well go for it.

"Ah, no. I can't exactly pee right now," he said.

"Why not?" Kurt said, his voice beginning to sound strangled. Blaine's voice got like that sometimes and he knew _exactly_ the circumstances.

"Kurt, can I help you with something?" he asked, sounding very innocent. There was a guttural gasp of breath.

"No!"

"I think I'm in the same condition. Maybe we can talk?" Blaine suggested, his hand warm on his own cock as he spoke to Kurt.

"What condition are you talking about?" Kurt asked.

"Oh, I think you know. Why is your voice deeper, why are you breathing harder?" Blaine asked.

"Blaine...don't do this..."

"Why not? I think you have been thinking about this as long as I have, haven't you?"

"Thinking about what exactly?" Kurt asked.

"What you are doing right now...what I hear you doing in here every morning. These walls are thin, Kurt, I can hear you moaning, hear your breath speed up, hear the sharp edge when it gets better," Blaine said in a low voice so Kurt could just hear it. He stroked himself, thinking of all those mornings and the noises Kurt didn't think he could hear.

"Kurt? I know what you're thinking...'could he hear me as I came so hard all those mornings'? Right? Yes, Kurt. I could hear you every time..." Blaine got out, his own breath getting heavy.

"Blaine...NNgghhh..." Kurt tried to be quiet, but he couldn't. Not now, when he was so close and Blaine's smooth voice was curling around him, helping him to get closer, urging his body, invading his mind.

"Are you close, too? Kurt, I'm on fire out here. You are all I've been thinking about. Since that kiss...the one you think I forgot about? I didn't. I think about your lips all the time, Kurt. The spark that went all through me when our lips touched. Could you still imagine my lips, Kurt? Where?"

"Oh, my god...Blaine...yes, I think about it. I think about you and that kiss and your scent, your sounds in your sleep..." Kurt whispered, trying to hold back, not wanting Blaine to hear him when he came.

"Could you imagine me being in there with you?" Blaine asked, but knew it was too far. He could never hold back long enough to stand up and get into the shower. "My hands on your body, sliding through the warm sudsy water, finding all of your secret places that no one can touch but me. Oh, Kurt...I want you." He whispered this last part without thinking and relaxed just a bit, trying to gain strength to deny himself long enough to get to Kurt. He was overcome by a wave of pleasure as he imagined Kurt and what they might do together, then let out a desperate moan.

"Blaine? Oh. Blaiiinnee..." Kurt whimpered but it was too late. He could not stop it coming and his seed spilled out, spurting against the glass door of the shower.

Blaine, sitting and leaning against that door saw, felt, and heard it...he reached out his hand and put it against the glass door where Kurt's white semen slid down the glass and Kurt's moans filled his ears...and he was done for. He had grabbed a towel when he sat down and came into it so hard he was lightheaded. He closed his eyes, getting his bearings once more and left the bathroom.

Kurt stood under the water, letting the hot water cool him down.


	17. Chapter 17 - The Legacy

Volunteer Angel – Chapter Seventeen – The Legacy

"You guys ready?" Cooper called from the driver's seat of his tiny blue Miata sports car. Blaine and Kurt were standing on the sidewalk in front of their dormitory, holding hands tightly. They recognized that they needed to talk before anything else confusing happened, but it would take a lot of time and a lot of privacy. With just a few words exchanged as they hurried to get ready to go to brunch with Cooper, they had agreed to shelve it for now, go with Cooper to the Anderson house, and talk later.

"I'm starving!" Blaine said, grinning at his brother.

"Me, too," Coop agreed. "Hop in."

It was very clear that there was not room for both boys in the tiny backseat of the Miata, so Blaine asked Kurt if he would prefer to sit next to Cooper or in the back.

"The back. Uh...yes, I'd prefer the back," he practically whispered, still not sure about how Cooper thought of him. Besides, the top was down and he thought the wind might do less damage in the back. Blaine helped him step over the seat into the back and he settled down, finding the seatbelt and snapping it closed.

Blaine sat next to his brother.

Coop took them to a little French cafe that served brunch: La Bistro Fontenay.

Kurt looked over the menu, his eyes wide as he tried to decide among dozens of luscious looking items, each sounding better than the last. He finally turned to Blaine.

"I'm guessing from your enthusiasm when we got here that you are familiar with the menu?" Kurt asked.

"Yes, we used to eat here when we were visiting Uncle Andy. He always brought us because it was his and Uncle Buddy's favorite place in the world to eat," Blaine said.

"Then maybe you could suggest something for me?" Kurt asked, a smile growing on his face as he saw Blaine's eyes sparkle. He reminded Kurt of someone – oh, yes, the sparkling eyes. Andy.

"I've had most of the breakfast items...The Belgian Waffles with strawberries are wonderful, the Crepes Suzette is made with those Spanish oranges, wow. Delicious. If you don't want it too sweet, the German Pancakes with fried apples and sour cream is to die for..." Blaine said, going on to describe half a dozen choices until Kurt held up a hand to stop him.

"Wait...wow, you are not helping at all! I wonder if they would make me a sampler platter with a bite of each one on it?" Kurt laughed. "Have you had the Swedish pancakes with Lingonberry sauce?"

"No, that is one of the few I have never tried," Blaine admitted and Coop laughed.

"I'm having the Eggs Benedict," Cooper said.

"You _always_ have that...and then you end up asking me for bites of mine!" Blaine accused his brother.

"Maybe I can get the Swedish pancakes with lingonberry sauce and you can get another, then we can share?" Kurt suggested.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Blaine said, looking over the menu for the last time as the waitress approached the table.

Blaine was still contemplating after the other two had ordered, and he closed his eyes and asked for the German Potato Pancakes with fried apples. Kurt smiled, that was the other one he had thought of trying.

"This isn't that far from Dalton, Kurt. We can come back and try other things," Blaine offered.

"Oh, I'd love that," Kurt said, his eyes on Blaine's once again.

They ate the food and the conversation was friendly and comfortable, as if the three had been friends all their lives. When all the food was gone, they got back in the Miata and went to the house where the Anderson family had lived for many generations. The housekeeper let them in and the three men went into the family room to sit and talk for a while.

"So, I had Floyd take your car to have it serviced, tuned up and all for you, Squirt. It's all ready. I'm staying the week to make sure everything is ready for when you and I move back in this summer, then it's back to Case Western for me until I start my internship," Cooper told them.

"Have all the boxes come from Italy, do you know?" Blaine asked. He had packed his room before leaving Italy and the boxes had left at the same time, but freight moved so much slower.

"Lena said there were a lot. She had them put up in your room. Do you know how many there were?" Coop asked.

"I think 36? Something like that," he said.

"Wow, sounds like you're moving here forever," Cooper said.

"I don't know. I miss Australia, it was home – but it was time to move on. I never felt as accepted there as I have here. Remember when you and I would come and visit Uncle Andy and Uncle Buddy? That was when I felt the most at home. I know they're gone now, but the house, everything, just reminds me of how good it felt to be here. I want to stay here for now," Blaine said, his voice fading at the end.

"What happened to their apartment?" Cooper asked. Blaine shrugged his shoulders.

"Dad never said, just that he'd had word that Uncle Andy died. Andy was in the same nursing home that Uncle Buddy was in before he died. I used to write to him, now I wish I'd asked Mom and Dad to send me here sooner, maybe I'd have been able to help in some way," Blaine said.

"I came a few times to visit, but not as much towards the end," Cooper admitted. "Now I wish there had been some way to make more time. I am in my final year of med school and I just couldn't seem to make time for anything," he said with deep regret.

"I was with him when he died," Kurt whispered, the tears running down his face. The two brothers turned to stare at him.

"I forgot you knew him," Blaine said, taking Kurt's hand.

Cooper just stared. "You knew Andy?"

"Yes, I was a volunteer at Kenton Manor. Andy used to play his guitar or the piano and we sang together. My dad and I took him to the park one day and he told me a little about his life. I pushed him in his wheelchair to the park for the last time after he had lost his sight to diabetes. He fed the baby goats and the llama at the petting zoo and he sang with me. I must have tired him out because his lips and fingernails were blueish by the time we got back." Kurt's voice had faded to a husky whisper and both brothers were leaning close to hear.

"I helped put him in bed and he was so tired – but he asked me to read to him. I was reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. We had read all the Harry Potter books already. I went home to be with my dad when Andy fell asleep."

"Oh, Kurt, I am so happy Uncle Andy had you there for him," Cooper said.

"The home called me that night, Andy was asking for me. My dad drove me there and Andy was not doing well. He asked that everyone leave so he could talk to me. He said he was cold, so I climbed into his bed to hold him," Kurt was barely keeping together now, his hands shaking and his face swollen with tears. "He said he _wanted_ to go, that he missed Buddy for too long and he wanted to be with him again. He hugged me so tight – I think he was confused, he kept calling me 'Buddy' and telling me he would never leave me alone again. He died in my arms with such a sweet smile on his face..." Kurt finished.

"Oh, my God, Kurt. You are so amazing, he was so lucky you found him. I wish I had been here, but since I couldn't be, I am so happy you were with him," Cooper said, wiping his face with his sleeve. Blaine was sitting close to Kurt on the sofa, his arms around Kurt's waist. At the end of the tale, Blaine had gently pulled Kurt's head to rest on his shoulder.

"Thank God for you, Kurt. He was an amazing, kind, generous man and he deserved to have someone like you, someone with a heart so big...to be with him at the end. Do you think he's with Buddy again?" Blaine asked.

"Yes, I do. I couldn't stand thinking anything else, ever. I know in my heart that he and Buddy are together once again, now and forever like he said," Kurt whispered, his hand over his heart.

Cooper looked at the two – Blaine named after his beloved uncle and Kurt with the same name as Buddy. Maybe they _were_ together again, just in a new incarnation? Cooper looked at the two: Blaine sitting so close, Kurt's head resting on his shoulder as they comforted each other. It was just like when Andy and Buddy were younger. If the lights were dimmer, they might be mistaken for one another they were so alike.

They sat together, Blaine now rubbing Kurt's back to comfort him, Kurt with his arms around Blaine's waist. Cooper looked on, his thoughts so loud in his head he didn't hear the sweet words Blaine was whispering to Kurt to calm him.

Time rocked on and soon they were sitting talking again.

"If you want to see the apartment that Buddy and Andy shared, I have the keys," Kurt said.

The brothers looked at him, twin faces of puzzlement staring at him.

"Ah...Andy left it to me in his will," Kurt stuttered. "I didn't know until the lawyer called me, my dad took me down to his office and Mr. Louis Harrington told me that Andy had left it to me. I have never gone inside it, just drove by it that day. I feel funny about him leaving it to me. I asked Mr Harrington if Andy had someone else to leave it to – a relative with more claim than I had. He said there was some distant family in Australia. I never dreamed I would meet you, Blaine, not this soon. I'll give you and Cooper the apartment if you want."

"No! He left it to you!" came two voices speaking as one. The brothers looked at each other, surprised to hear they answered together.

"No, Kurt. He left it to you, and I can see he had reason to do that. He must have loved you, Kurt," Blaine said, once more rubbing his back.

"He paid my tuition to Dalton and left me some money. That wasn't the reason I was friends with him, though. I had no idea he had all that. We were friends because I liked to read to him and he liked to sing to me...we just needed each other, you know?" Kurt said, tears making their way down his face once more.

"I'm going to go see if Lena can make us some tea," Cooper said, getting up to go find her. He put a hand on Kurt's shoulder and looked into his eyes. "Kurt, I don't want you to feel guilty or sad that Andy gave those things to you. You were his friend and he must have thought a lot of you. I can see why, you must have been a beautiful, bright spot in his lonely last year. I am grateful you were there for him, and I don't begrudge you his apartment or anything else he chose to give you."

With that, he left the room.

"I feel the same way, Kurt," Blaine whispered, holding Kurt even tighter to his chest.

They didn't say much else, but Blaine had Kurt remove his shoes and they cuddled together under a quilt on the sofa until Cooper returned and Lena brought the tea. She had made some Scottish shortbread to go along with it and they all sat drinking the warm tea and relaxing after the emotional scene.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Well, shall we give you a tour of the house?" Blaine asked.

"Sounds like a plan, lead the way," Kurt smiled. He had been feeling melancholy talking about his late friend and even though it was good to talk about him with people who knew and loved him, the feeling was still bittersweet.

"Cooper?" Blaine asked.

"Naw...I have to get some paperwork done, if you'll excuse me. Being in medical school means they own me – lock, stock, and barrel – until graduation. I'll join you later for lunch?"

"Sure. Thanks for the tea," Kurt smiled at Coop.

"I'll skip all the dull places, I promise. Here," he said as he opened the double doors off the main hall, "is the library. It is one of the three best rooms in the house," Blaine said.

"Oh, it is magnificent!" Kurt said. "I have dreamed of living in a house with a library – and it has a ladder to get to the top shelves!"

Blaine laughed. Kurt was just too adorable sometimes. Kurt walked over to the shelves, running his hand over the spines of the books. One caught his eye and he pulled it from the shelf: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. He opened the book and on the inside of the front cover it had the name "**_ANDY ANDERSON_**" written there. He flipped a few pages, now more curious than ever. On the title pages it read: "_**To Andy, for all the days you and I have lived in fantasy. Love, Buddy**."_ It was dated July 1965. Kurt blinked a few times. This was the book he was reading Andy when he died. Kurt was suddenly so happy that Andy had already read it and knew the ending. He had been sad that Andy died before they finished the book, as ridiculous as that was. He replaced the book on the shelf, next to the whole set of Narnia books, which brought a small smile to his face. He turned to talk to Blaine once again.

"Let me guess the other two rooms?" Kurt asked, his gaze landing on Blaine's eyes once again, as if that were his home.

"Sure, guess away," Blaine laughed.

"Your room?" Kurt guessed.

Blaine laughed. "I didn't grow up here. The last people to make this their permanent home were Uncle Andy's parents, my grandparents, Phoebe and Grant Anderson. Are you ready for a bit of family history?"

"I love history," Kurt said.

"Phoebe and Grant had two sons, Thomas Cooper and Blaine Devon – who went by the nickname 'Andy'. Thomas is my father. When he got married to Miss Charlotte Helena Darling, they moved to be close to her family in Australia. They also had two sons, Cooper and me, both named for our ancestors.

"Uncle Andy never actually got married. He lived with Uncle Buddy his whole life. He never said they were lovers, but it never needed to be said. They grew up in an age where the whole concept of a man loving another man was taboo, so even when it was more accepted they never said a word.

"But they really didn't need to define their love for anyone else, and I really admire them for that. I never saw them so much as hold hands in public, but the love between them? It was like nothing I have ever seen, before or since. You knew when you saw them together that it was the two of them forever. They were practically joined at the hip, and the love was palpable. I knew it instantly even though I was just eleven the first time I came to stay with them," Blaine said.

"I know Andy missed Buddy," Kurt said, "He talked about him all the time. He was singing Buddy's song the day I met him. Actually that's _why_ we met. I had met him in passing during supper one day, but then I heard the chorus as he sang Buddy's song to himself in his room and I stepped in, mesmerized by his voice. It was so strange, too. He told me he never published that song, and never sang it to anyone but Buddy – but I knew all the words. I don't remember ever hearing it before, but I sang it with Andy – start to finish – and didn't miss a word," Kurt said, Blaine sitting and looking at him with his head cocked to the side, as if he were listening to something besides Kurt's voice.

"I worried about that – about it not making sense – until finally Andy told me there are some things in life you don't ever learn the answers to, no matter how you try. He said to let it go, so I did. But it's still a mystery that I cannot explain," Kurt said. "There were a lot of things about Andy and I that defied explanation, actually." Kurt got a far-away gaze in his eyes, as if he could see through the walls and Andy and Buddy were waiting there to explain it all. Blaine had that feeling sometimes, as if the two uncles were more than just relatives and friends, as if there had been a deeper connection between himself and them. Kurt gave him the same feeling sometimes.

"Okay, maybe we can come back to this room sometime? I love to read," Kurt said, taking Blaine's hand by habit and walking towards the double doors.

Blaine led him to the next room. It was directly across the hall from the library and had matching double doors.

"This is my next favorite room. Can you guess what it is?"

"It has to be a music room?" Kurt guessed.

Blaine swung them open with a huge smile. "Of course!"

The room was done in blue and gold, not quite Baroque, nor Renaissance, but not modern either. Actually, none of the house was modern. It was as if nobody had redecorated since Phoebe and Grant left for Europe twenty years ago. Probably because they hadn't.

Kurt walked in, his eyes trying to look upon everything at once. The focus point as he walked in was very obviously the grand piano. No, not a baby grand but a full concert grand, the shiny black surface glowing as if it had just been polished. Once he saw the piano, his eyes went to the harp standing in an alcove. Kurt loved the sound of a harp and he looked at Blaine, pleading in his eyes.

"Please tell me you can play?"

"Which one?" Blaine asked, a smirk on his face.

"Oh, the harp!" Kurt said.

"All of us angels can play the harp, Kurt, it's a prerequisite for being able to sit on the clouds, you know," Blaine winked and walked over to the harp. His face grew more serious as he stepped to the instrument and sat on the stool, leaning the harp back against his shoulder. His hands began plucking the strings and a marvelous melody came out: simple, soft and lyrical, bewitching Kurt as he sat on a chair to enjoy the impromptu music.

Blaine played for a short time, frowning a bit when he hit a wrong note.

"I'm sorry, Kurt. I haven't been able to practice for so long – we didn't have one in Italy. I had my guitar and a few other things: my violin and cello, and the house we lived in had a piano; but I had to leave my harp and harmonium in Australia when we moved. There wasn't room for everything," Blaine said, a sad look on his face.

"Was this yours?" Kurt asked.

"No. It's Grandma Phoebe's. She was the one who taught me to love music when I was a little kid. I got a violin for my third birthday," Blaine grinned.

"Wow, all I asked for were sensible heels..." Kurt muttered. Blaine giggled. Kurt had told him the story of when he came out to his dad and his dad said he knew because that was what Kurt had asked for.

"Shall I play you a tune on the piano?" Blaine asked and Kurt nodded. Blaine sat down and played 'Moonlight Sonata', or a piece of it anyway. Kurt was in a daze, watching Blaine's fingers as they touched the keys as a lover would touch his partner.

"Well, that's a taste of what I love to do. I wish this would fit in our dorm room, but that isn't likely," Blaine laughed.

Cooper walked by just as Blaine finished.

"Oh, so he's showing off, is he?" Coop said.

"Hey, come play a duet with me, big brother! You can show off, too. I bet we could both get a kiss from Kurt if we're good enough," Blaine teased. Cooper laughed and came in, sitting beside his brother. They both held their hands above the keyboard and started at the same time, beautiful music flowing from the instrument as the brothers played. Kurt was listening with his whole body, tense with it as he watched the fingers on the keys. They played in perfect synchronization, and Kurt knew it must have taken years to look so at ease doing it.

They finished, the last slow, deep notes fading.

"If you liked my harp playing, coax Coop to play for you," Blaine suggested. Cooper frowned at him.

"I have things to do, Squirt," he said, but walked over to the harp and sat down. He caressed the instrument, a dreamy smile on his face as his fingers touched the strings. If Kurt thought Blaine could play, it was nothing compared to the beautiful, ethereal melody Cooper was coaxing from the well-loved instrument. He played for quite awhile before ending the song and smiling at Kurt and Blaine.

"That was amazing!" Kurt said, clapping his hands.

"Thank you. Now, I do have to get this done. Lunch is in two hours, if that's all right?" Cooper said, but left before the boys could answer.

"I want to hear you play your violin!" Kurt said and Blaine smiled.

"It's being shipped. I didn't want to send it with the freight, so my folks are bringing it for Christmas. There is one here I can use, but the change in temperature of sending mine freight wouldn't be good for it. Violins are very delicate when it comes to temperature. Dad offered to bring it with them," Blaine explained.

"We'll have to have a whole concert," Kurt laughed good-naturedly and put a hand on Blaine's back.

"Now, you have to tell me the last of your guesses – which is the third of my favorite rooms?" Blaine asked.

Kurt looked as if he were thinking hard.

"I was going to say an art room, I bet you paint, too?" he guessed.

"Well, I do, but it's just a hobby. No...I moved my things into the third room when I came. Grandfather said I could pick any room, so when I told him which one, he said he wouldn't go back on his word and allowed it. Just follow me..." Blaine said and led Kurt to the second floor and down a long hallway. He opened the doors (yes, double doors again) and they walked into a paradise. It had been called 'the conservatory' when Phoebe and Grant lived there, but Blaine had moved things around and now it was his bedroom.

Kurt gasped at how beautiful it was: all manner of bright flowers and cool green plants in pots and containers all over the room, Blaine's bed with a white linen bedspread in the middle of it. Along the walls were some wicker dressers and shelves and he could see a closet by the door, recessed into the wall.

"Doesn't it get too damp in here?" Kurt asked, surprised that he didn't feel the dampness he associated with greenhouses.

"No. None of these plants are actually tropical, I was kidding about that. It is a bit of a jungle, but none of the specimens require a lot of humidity. Grandpa Grant gave it to me the first time I came to visit and since then he had an en suite added on and the built-in drawers and shelves."

Kurt turned around, looking at all the room and just taking it in. It was like a jungle, but organized. He saw a desk at the far end of the room, and Blaine showed him how the windows were double-paned with blinds inside the glass that worked on a switch for privacy – although the foliage from the plants kept anyone from seeing inside from the grounds.

"Blaine, this is beautiful," Kurt said, still in awe. "Can we make our dorm room just like this?" he asked, a glint of teasing in his eye. Blaine laughed.

"My boxes must be here somewhere..." Blaine said, opening one of the closet doors. It revealed a large walk-in closet with piles of boxes. "I can see two or three weekends worth of work unpacking that lot!" he said, his voice a little exasperated as he thought about the time he would have to rearrange.

"I could always help," Kurt offered. "I love to organize, we could make it into something fun."

"Oh, that would be great. I don't think your dad would be very happy if I stole you away for a whole weekend, but maybe we can take turns or something," Blaine suggested.

Kurt went over and sat on the bed when Blaine patted the seat next to himself.

"Kurt, I know we left this morning on a confused note - and I just want you to know that I do care for you. I know we have bonded as roommates and then friends, but I can't help but hope you feel something more than that. More than just teenage hormones, too. I am beyond serious when I say I care very deeply for you and..." Blaine stuttered, not sure of what words he could possibly use to convey the many emotions that were taking over his mind and body right now.

Kurt sat next to him, listening and secretly agreeing with each point as he made it. When he stopped talking, Kurt moved before he had even made the decision to. He put a hand behind Blaine's head, threading his fingers into the soft curls as he pressed their lips together and kissed Blaine.

It was true that they had kissed a few times, mostly accidental, and had slept together - in the non-Biblical sense - but Kurt just wanted to cut to the chase and let Blaine know exactly how he felt, right now. The smile gracing Blaine's face rivaled the sun. He was overjoyed that Kurt understood exactly where he was headed with the conversation and he took Kurt in his arms and kissed him this time. They continued kissing, lying back on the white linen bedspread in each other's arm – both of them feeling as if they were now truly at home.


	18. Chapter 18 - Closer

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Eighteen - Closer**

Cooper was sitting at the dining table by himself. He had told Blaine and Kurt what time lunch was, and like his father he had no patience for latecomers. He lived by a schedule and it had been reinforced all through college and medical school. Right on time was ten minutes late to him. He sighed and was about to go find Blaine and drag him to the lunch table by the ear when he looked up to see the boys coming into the room.

Kurt had a small bruise started on his neck, close to his collar. Both of them had slightly swollen lips, cherry red in Blaine's case and rosy pink in Kurt's. They were holding hands, which they did a lot anyway, but this was different. He could see white knuckles on both of them. Hmmm. Maybe what he guessed at this morning was happening without his nudging his brother. Cooper smiled. He was really happy for Blaine, Kurt might just be the perfect partner for his love-starved little brother after all.

"Well..." Cooper started, his face a mask of stern reprimand, but Blaine interrupted him.

"We are _not_ late, so don't go there. See?" Blaine pointed at the long-case clock that stood against the wall. Just as Cooper opened his mouth, the clock began to strike and when it was done the Westminster Quarter chimes began to play. Kurt stared at the clock, a smile on his face.

"It's a Lumen Watson," Cooper said.

"A what?" Kurt looked at Coop, a question on his face.

"Lumen Watson, one of the early American clock makers and one of the few who made long-case clocks. Grandpa Grant is a clock enthusiast," Blaine explained.

"Long case clock?" Kurt asked.

"You might have heard it called a 'grandfather clock'? That came years after the first ones were invented. It's from a popular song but the correct term is 'long case clock'," Blaine told him.

"Well, you learn something new every day," Kurt said, sitting on the chair as Blaine pushed it in for him. Kurt smiled a thank you. Cooper was sort of singing under his breath:

"_My grandfather's clock was too large for the shelf  
So it stood ninety years on the floor  
It was taller by half than the old man himself  
Though it weighed not a pennyweight more"_

By the time he got to the chorus, both Blaine and Kurt were singing with him:

_Ninety years without slumbering  
tick, tock, tick, tock  
His life seconds numbering  
tick, tock, tick, tock  
It stopped, short never to run again  
When the old man died"_

They all laughed, sharing the moment.

"Wow, Blaine, and here I thought you were always so top 40," Kurt teased him.

"I was thinking that after lunch we could take my new car for a spin?" Blaine asked, grinning at his brother.

"Blaine, a car is not to go racing around in. I know how you used to drive in Italy – this is America and it is different here. You have to obey the rules, you know," Cooper warned his brother.

"Oh, like your fine example of how you drive your Miata?" Blaine asked, a defiant look on his face.

"I drive by the rules. When..." Cooper started to ask.

"How many tickets have you had since..." Blaine countered, but Kurt interrupted them.

"Blaine, I won't ride in the car if you act like the streets are your private racetrack. A car should be respected and treated gently so it lasts, not taken for granted."

Cooper and Blaine sat as if they had been chastised, giving each other side-glances.

"Okay, Kurt," Blaine said. He remembered Kurt's father was a mechanic.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

After lunch, Cooper excused himself to drive back to Cleveland. He had class on Monday morning and needed to tie some things up there before coming back to live in Westerville.

"Okay, here are the new keys. Car, front door, side door, garage, pool house, and back door. Don't lose them," Cooper told his brother as he handed over the keys on a ring. It had a brass ring attached with a 1971 dog's license and rabies tag on it along with a brass tag claiming it to be: "Buck property of Buddy" and gave the address and phone number.

"Oh...this was Uncle Buddy's, wasn't it? I remember him carrying this with his keys when I was a kid," Blaine said. "The tag was from Buddy's dog, Buck."

"I found it in a drawer in the kitchen and thought you might like it," Coop added.

"Buck?" Kurt asked, trying to recall where he'd heard that name before. A light went on in his mind and he startled.

"Andy told me about Buddy's dog. He said it was part St. Bernard and part Buick," Kurt said. The brothers turned as one, looking at Kurt. He was frowning.

"Something wrong?" Blaine asked, but Kurt wasn't sure he wanted to tell them. He stared at Blaine, knowing the boy wanted him to continue, so he gave in.

"I was assaulted at a park walking home one day in Lima. Several bullies from my school were trying to hit me when a huge, shaggy dog came running up and got between me and them. He growled and the bully said he was going to cut the dog - but you could see he was scared half to death of it. I told them it wasn't my dog, but the animal was defending me and the guys ran off. I rubbed my eyes and looked back up – and the dog was gone, like he disappeared in to thin air," Kurt related to the brothers.

Cooper looked uncomfortable.

Blaine exchanged looks with him, then sighed.

"Tell him," Blaine urged his brother. Cooper sighed.

"I had the same thing happen. I was in the locker room after a game of lacrosse, just getting my game uniform off. I had stopped to talk to the coach for a while, so my teammates were already in the showers. I went in and there was the other team, really angry because we had beat them soundly in the game. Two of the guys had been trying to get the ball from me and collided – and blamed me - they were out on the injury list for the next three games.

"They tried to jump me, the few teammates in the locker room left and the two cornered me. They had their lacrosse sticks and I was sure they were going to mess me up. Then I saw a dog coming into the building...he stopped in front of me, like he was guarding me. The cowards were afraid of the dog - - well, I can't blame them, he was huge and all full of snarls and teeth. They ran away and I was watching them, but as soon as I turned back the dog was gone," Cooper related. He looked nervous, as if he feared Kurt would verbally attack him, but Kurt just put out a hand to lay on his forearm for a brief minute.

"Where were you? At Dalton?" Kurt asked.

"No. I was in Melbourne," Cooper said. "It was not for a few years that I was here visiting Uncles Buddy and Andy. I don't know how it came up, but I told them the story and they looked at each other and said, "Buck".

"Uncle Buddy was afraid for most of his life. He was strong and smart, but he had something bad happen when he was younger and wouldn't go into cities or walk on the street alone. So one day Uncle Andy bought him a dog to protect him. He had it trained to guard Buddy and Buddy loved that dog more than anything. Well, except Andy, of course," Blaine explained.

"And Buck came to you in Australia?" Kurt said, wonder showing in his eyes.

"Yeah, he did," Cooper said.

Nobody said anything for a little while, each contemplating what the appearance of Buck might mean.

Cooper finally broke the silence. "Well, I'm off. You two take care of each other. I'll be back next week for a few days. I'll call when I'm on my way," Cooper said, hugging Blaine and then turning and giving Kurt a hug -much to his surprise.

Blaine and Kurt went back inside and did the dishes. Lena wouldn't be back until Wednesday. She and her husband, Floyd, were the caretakers of the house and kept it clean and safe while the Anderson's were away.

"Do you want to see any more of the house? It's pretty boring, so we could go out back?" Blaine asked.

"Sure," Kurt agreed. He followed Blaine out the back door. They walked along the garden path, looked at the rose garden which could be smelled before it came into sight. "Wow, those smell so good!"

"Floyd takes good care of them. The rose garden is Grandma Phoebe's favorite thing in the whole estate. I like it, too," Blaine smiled. He took Kurt's hand and they wandered along paths made of crushed granite to see the rest of the yard. "This is the gazebo that Grandpa built for Grandma for a wedding present," Blaine showed him, walking up the steps to sit on the bench.

"Be careful where you sit..." Blaine warned, pulling Kurt close before he had a chance to sit down. He moved them farther along the bench to a cleaner space.

Kurt looked around, trying to find out what left the mess on the bench. Blaine pointed a finger at a tree and Kurt could see something roosting there.

"When Andy was a kid, his mother got some peacocks. The male was named Hugo and he chased poor Uncle Andy all over. I don't know if you've ever heard a peacock screech?" Blaine asked and Kurt shook his head no. "Well, it is _loud_. Really loud. Hugo used to sneak up behind him and peck his leg. Then he'd screech and Andy would run. He got used to it and that just broke Hugo's heart until Buddy came along. The bird was in seventh heaven with a new victim to chase," Blaine laughed. Kurt could tell it was one of those family legends that grew with the telling and everyone knew it so well it was as if they had lived it themselves.

The weather was still a bit warm in spite of the calendar saying it was fall, so the boys walked back inside and up to Blaine's paradise room.

They unpacked a few boxes, putting away some clothes which Kurt smiled at because of the Italian labels, and a variety of things from CDs to books to personal care items. Kurt squealed when he saw the Nesti Dante soap and the Felce Azzurra body wash. He screwed open the lid and took a deep sniff, his smile growing bigger.

"Oh, do you like that?" Blaine asked.

"Are you kidding? I love this scent," Kurt answered, but he didn't tell Blaine it was because it reminded him of Blaine himself.

"You can have it. I have a carton of stuff like that. My school was near a little boutique that stocked local items, so I bought a lot of it," Blaine said. Kurt opened the lid once more, shaking out a little dab to smooth over his wrists.

"Thank you, Blaine. That is so nice of you," Kurt said. He went back to help open a much larger box that was double-boxed and had a different sticker on it, proclaiming it to have been air lifted overnight. When they finally got the box open with the aid of a pair of scissors and a knife, Blaine lifted out a guitar. It was an old one, well worn and much loved. Blaine's look and care of the instrument reminded Kurt of a father with his new baby and he almost laughed.

"Oh, I didn't know Dad shipped this. Whoa, I have missed this," Blaine said, cradling the guitar in his arms before holding it properly and tuning it.

"Tell me a song and I'll play it for you," Blaine offered.

"Can you play if I sing something you don't know? I mean just by listening?" Kurt asked. Andy had been able to do that and Kurt guessed that maybe Blaine could, too.

"I can try, go ahead and I'll follow along where I can," Blaine offered.

"This is the song that Andy told me he sang for Buddy. The one I seemed to know...

"_I'll walk in the rain by your side  
I'll cling to the warmth of your gentle hand  
I'll do anything to help you understand  
and I'll love you more than anybody can."_

By the second verse, Blaine was playing along and by the third he was singing it. He remembered that Andy used to sing this song with Buddy, but it still surprised him that he could play it so quickly and even more that he knew the words. Maybe Kurt was right – maybe the song really was magic of some sort.

"_I'll be there when you're feeling down  
To kiss away the tears if you cry  
I'll share with you all the happiness I've found  
A reflection of the love in your eyes._

_And I'll sing you the songs of the rainbow_  
_A picture of the joy that is mine_  
_The leaves will bow down when you walk by_  
_And morning bells will chime._

_I'll walk in the rain by your side_  
_I'll cling to the warmth of your gentle hand_  
_I'll do anything to help you understand_  
_and I'll love you more than anybody can._

_And the wind will whisper your name to me_  
_Little birds will sing along in time_  
_The leaves will bow down when you walk by_  
_And morning bells will chime."_

When the song was done, Kurt was on the verge of tears. He missed Andy so much, but Blaine seemed to understand and set down his guitar and put his arms around Kurt. He tugged him into his lap and cuddled him into his chest, kissing the tears from his cheeks. Kurt closed his eyes and rubbed his cheek on Blaine's shirt, taking in the glorious scent of black pepper, citrus, and another less recognizable scent – one he was beginning to love when he was snuggling with Blaine. He smelled like vanilla cookies, spring rain and...something else, something fresh and sensual.

"Hey, are you alright?" Blaine asked. Kurt brought his attention back from his obsession on Blaine's scent.

"Yes. I know the song made Andy happy, so I have no reason to cry. It just makes me miss him and I feel sad. I guess I'm just preprogrammed to link together all the people I've lost in my life – first my mother when I was eight, then my grandmother a few years later. I had just about given up on life with the terror I experienced in school with the bullies when I met Andy and he changed my life. I am so glad I met him, it was like kismet or fate or something," Kurt said, stopping the waterworks. He smiled at Blaine, so grateful that his moods didn't affect Blaine's apparent care for him.

"I bet you made him happy, too, Kurt. He was practically despondent when Uncle Buddy died. We all tried to keep in better contact, but letters only go so far, you know. You were an answer to a prayer, Kurt," Blaine said, his hand cupping Kurt's chin to be sure he was listening. Kurt tended to get shy and put his head down, so Blaine made sure.

A while later they had unpacked maybe a third of the boxes, but Blaine called a halt.

"We can do the rest later, I'm in no hurry to get them all done today. Let's sit and rest for a few minutes. I think we were going to talk?" Blaine suggested.

"I know we said that we should talk over what happened this morning," Kurt said. He and Blaine were now sitting on the bed, shoes kicked off and facing each other.

"I hope it...well, about this morning...I'm sorry if I overstepped," Blaine said quietly, his face getting rosy with his blush. The thoughts of sitting in the bathroom while Kurt was in the shower brought back the intense feelings he had experienced and his body was craving some more of that.

"It took two to tango, Blaine. I was a willing participant," Kurt said, his own blush darkening.

"Kurt, I...I just...since the first day, I knew we had something, a connection that was something so new to me -but at the same time it felt like I had known you all my life. That makes no sense at all, I know," Blaine said. He looked at Kurt, afraid of what he might see, but all he could see in Kurt's eyes was acceptance and maybe something more. He wanted to believe that he saw something close to love, but he couldn't be sure. Kurt held out his hand, reaching for Blaine's cheek and cupped it, bringing it close and placing his lips on Blaine's.

Blaine helped Kurt to lie back on his bed. He kept kissing him, their lips in danger of getting chapped as they kept on. He was lying practically on top of Kurt, the worry that he was squashing him was at the back of his mind, but he couldn't bring himself to act on it.

"I couldn't help it, Kurt. When I could hear you...I'm sorry, I know I should have left the room or maybe let you know sooner," Blaine said, looking down as he confessed.

"It's all right. I should have known...those walls are thin as paper. I was usually thinking of you, though." Kurt couldn't believe he was telling Blaine this. He was beyond blushing now and moved to hide his face in Blaine's neck.

"Let's just let it go, we have so many things to talk about now, right?"

"Okay, but maybe less talking for a while?" Kurt asked and placed his hands on Blaine's shoulders to gently push him over, climbing on top of him and giving him a deep, thorough kiss, almost removing his tonsils in the attempt.

"Blaine? I have to tell you something," Kurt said in a soft voice, pulling back to look at Blaine.

"Yes?"

"Ah...I have no idea what I'm doing. I love kissing you, but I have no clue what to do next, I mean what couples do next. Have you...ah...dated a lot?" Kurt asked.

"No, not a lot – unless you count a few dates that were just pals having fun, we went to supper or dancing, then we'd have a chaste goodnight kiss as I dropped him off at his door. Yes, I went on maybe a dozen dates, but they were all pretty much alike," Blaine said. "Italian boys have a reputation, but it wasn't the way it turned out for me," Blaine laughed. "It was all pretty – _tame_ to say the least."

"Oh...so you've never had sex?" Kurt asked, too curious to mind his manners for a minute.

"No. I suppose I messed around with some boys from time to time, but it was never more than innocent curiosity. Unless you consider this morning?" Blaine laughed.

"Oh, Blaine...I have been '_considering_' this morning all day long," Kurt said as Blaine rolled them over so he was now on top.

Blaine leaned down into another kiss, this time not so frantic. It was soft and sensual, and Kurt let Blaine pull him closer. Blaine kissed across Kurt's cheek and down his neck, smiling inside when Kurt giggled.

"That tickles," Kurt whispered, moving his head to give Blaine more of his neck to kiss and nibble on. Kurt was squirming, the delicious shivers tingling down his back and gathering in his belly. Blaine continued to mouth along Kurt's collarbone, unbuttoning his shirt to have more contact with Kurt's beautiful skin. He continued to unbutton the oxford shirt, Kurt's quiet gasps a catalyst to Blaine's determination to touch him, bring him closer to the next level.

As Blaine kissed down his chest, Kurt began to tremble. He had never been this close to anyone and all the feelings that were now overtaking him scared him.

"Hey, Kurt, is everything all right? Why are you shaking?"

"I don't know...it is just a new feeling and, well, ah...I don't understand why I'm shaking, really."

"We don't have to do anything, especially if you're not comfortable with this. Here, sit up," Blaine said, reluctantly stopping what he was doing and helping Kurt to sit up. "We don't have to do anything but kiss if that's what you want." Blaine held Kurt close and just looked into his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Blaine. I mean, you are what I want, but I'm just so nervous...I just don't know how to act or what to do," he said, pushing Blaine away and getting up from the bed. He rushed out of the room, not really sure where he was going. He wasn't angry at Blaine, more like he was angry at himself for being such a prude when in his heart he wanted everything that Blaine had to share. He rushed down the long hallway and stopped in a doorway, opening the door and going inside the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

"Kurt?" Blaine called as he walked down the hallway. He was angry at himself for not paying enough attention to how Kurt was feeling, basically chasing him away because of his own selfishness. Blaine sighed and walked slowly, listening for where Kurt might have gone. He was fairly sure the boy hadn't left the house.

Down several doorways, he heard a muffled sob.

"Kurt? Can I come in?" Blaine asked, knocking softly at the door.

"Yes," Kurt mumbled. He had gone into another bedroom – this one with two twin beds and decorated with pastel colors in neutral shades. Framed watercolors decorated the walls, but the room lacked any real personality, making Kurt think it was a guest room rather than belonging to someone in the family.

Blaine opened the door quietly, stepping in and walking over to his friend.

"I'm sorry, Kurt. I honestly did not mean to upset you. Please, if you come back, I swear I won't bother you or force myself on you again," Blaine said in a contrite tone. He was honestly sorry.

Kurt stood up from the chair he was sitting in, going to Blaine and hugging him tightly.

"No, you did nothing wrong. I just panicked. I do want you, Blaine. I want to share things like that with you, but it scares me. I wasn't kidding when I told you I have no idea what comes next. I was just..." Kurt couldn't think of the words and buried his face in Blaine's neck.

Blaine was taken by surprise, thinking Kurt had been angry. His arms went around the boy, hugging him back. He just stood there, holding Kurt, waiting for him to make the next move for quite a while.

"Blaine? Can we go back to your room? I just want you to hold me and my feet are sore from standing," Kurt asked.

"Of course, Kurt. Anything," Blaine said, placing a platonic kiss on Kurt's temple. They walked back to the conservatory-turned-bedroom and sat down on the bed once more.

"I need you to talk to me, Kurt. Tell me what you're thinking because I totally misread what was happening between us, and I don't want you to feel as if you need to run away from me. All you have to do is say 'No'. I'll stop, I promise. Do you trust me to do that?" Blaine asked. He had taken Kurt's hand and was sitting a bit away from him. Blaine looked into Kurt's eyes, showing him in every way he could that he was being honest. Kurt gazed back, not moving his eyes from Blaine's, feeling both the need for Kurt's trust and the powerful emotions surrounding it.

"Yeah, I do trust you. I just panicked, and I'm sorry. I apologize. Please..." Kurt took a deep breath. "Please, let's go back to where we were – just being close and kissing, okay?" Kurt asked.

Blaine nodded and, moving slowly, took Kurt in his arms again. He gave him a chaste kiss on the temple and held him. He could feel Kurt's heart pounding in his chest and saw his cheeks flush with a dark rosy blush.

Kurt was fine with this, he liked it when Blaine touched him like this, holding him close. He could smell Blaine's scent, the pepper and citrus body wash, the soap he used to wash his face. Kurt didn't like anything too musky or overpowering, and he could smell Blaine's own scent that was like clean laundry and fresh grass. He could feel his muscles begin to relax in Blaine's arms, the feeling of safety and maybe love was so clearly there that Kurt could almost taste it.

Maybe this was the key to it all – to analyze what he was thinking and feeling, then he wasn't afraid. It was the unknown that he feared, not the execution of whatever Blaine wanted. Suddenly that was very clear in Kurt's head and he needed to tell Blaine that, but just now he needed to kiss him even more. Turning his head a bit, shifting his shoulders, he closed his eyes and brought his lips to Blaine's. The boy responded, not hard but a gentle movement, brushing against Kurt's lips and almost caressing them with his own. Kurt loved this and kissed him again, jumping just a bit when Blaine's warm tongue touched his bottom lip. Kurt let himself go, not thinking of each individual action, but doing what came naturally and not holding back. Blaine hummed his pleasure as Kurt relaxed more in his arms and kept kissing him.


	19. Chapter 19 - Jaguar!

Volunteer Angel – Chapter Nineteen – Jaguar

Blaine and Kurt got in the car, Blaine grinning at the fact that this was _his_ now, a gift from his grandparents. It was used – it had been his grandfather's car, but the odometer showed that he had hardly ever driven it.

"When my dad was a little kid, Grandpa had a Thunderbird with leather seats. He was driving my dad and Uncle Andy around and stopped to see a client. My dad got bored and was playing with the cigarette lighter. He decided to be a cowboy and he 'branded' the leather seats all over with the cigarette lighter," Blaine told Kurt.

"Oh, my stars in heaven! I bet he got whipped for that," Kurt speculated.

"I don't know, Uncle Andy told me that story, but claimed he was asleep in the back seat the whole time," Blaine laughed, but stopped when he looked down at the golden leather seats in his new car.

"I have never actually been inside a Jaguar before," Kurt said, smoothing his hand across the butter-soft leather of the seat before sitting down. He buckled himself in and looked expectantly over at Blaine, loving the happy grin on his friend's face.

"I haven't, either. When I was here last, Grandpa Grant was driving a Lamborghini. He'd never let me have that car – he had it shipped to Europe when they moved there."

"Wow. So, is he a collector? Or does he just like driving good cars?" Kurt asked.

"I think he just likes good cars. Grandma Phoebe drives a Lexus, a sedan, she doesn't like sports cars, she says they are undignified," Blaine laughed.

"Well, I'd give up a lot of dignity to ride around in this baby," Kurt smiled.

"I think we should celebrate my new car with a road trip!" Blaine suggested.

"Ah...it's eleven in the morning, Blaine. Where do you propose we go?" Kurt asked, his puzzlement showing on his face in the form of frown lines. Blaine reached over and smoothed them away, smiling back when Kurt gave him a smile.

"Not too far, we need to be back at Dalton tonight. Maybe to Lima?" Blaine said, knowing Kurt was missing his father. They had stayed at the Anderson estate last night, snuggled together in the soft bed in Blaine's room. It was like any other night they had spent together with the exception of Kurt's inability to sleep due to a certain anxiety about which direction this relationship was headed. He'd finally fallen into a restless sleep and didn't hear the alarm in the morning. Blaine had let him sleep in, getting up to make a little breakfast and bringing it to Kurt in bed.

Since then, they had decided to go check out the car, and now Kurt was excited to go visit his dad, in spite of the fact that he'd have only an hour or two to actually visit, but the ride there in the beautiful hunter green Jaguar would be fun. Blaine was looking in the trunk and then got in the driver's seat, now sporting a tweed British racing cap that he'd found there.

"Oh, my god, Blaine. You look like someone's grandfather in that!" Kurt shouted, giggling even more.

"Hey, my grandfather looked very distinguished in this hat!" Blaine insisted, adjusting it so his curls were evident, peeking out from the edge of the cap.

While Kurt sat, hand to mouth trying to stop his laughter, Blaine started the car and just took a few moments to listen to the engine purr. The look of total absorption on Blaine's face made Kurt happy. He knew Blaine missed his family and it was good to see him enjoying himself so much.

They took off a little fast, but were soon on the highway and relaxed into the comfort of the luxurious car. Kurt had brought his music along and set the speakers on the floor, choosing some of the songs they both liked to sing along with as the car ate up the miles. Before he knew it, Kurt was in his dad's driveway. As Blaine got out of the low-slung car, Burt walked out on the porch and his dog, Murphy, was a step behind him. He looked confused for a moment until he saw Kurt, then met him half-way.

"Kurt!" he shouted, folding his son in his arms and giving him a bear hug. Blaine stood back, letting the father and son reunite as if they hadn't seen each other in months instead of the two weeks it had actually been. Murphy took advantage of the Hummel's reunion to sidle next to Blaine and ask to be petted, which Blaine was happy to accommodate.

"What brings you two here on a Sunday?" Burt asked, his eyes sparkling just like his son's did.

"Blaine just got his new car. His grandfather is in Europe now and left the car to him. We decided to take it for a spin and Blaine thought I might be missing you," Kurt said. Burt grinned and nodded at Blaine.

"Thanks, Blaine. I'm always happy to see the two of you. Can you stay to supper?"

"No, we have to be back in class tomorrow and we both put off our homework. We were hoping you could come to lunch with us if you like?" Kurt said.

"I'd love to. Shall I drive or can three fit inside that little sardine can?" Burt teased, winking at Blaine.

"Three can fit. Actually, I was wondering if you could do me a favor?" Blaine asked Burt.

"Sure, kid, if I can," Burt said.

"The car has been driven a little since my grandfather left, our caretaker has been in charge of maintaining it, but the drive isn't as smooth as it should be after we were on the highway. Could you drive it for a bit and maybe give me your opinion as to whether it is intrinsic to the car's age or if I need to do some type of repair?" Blaine asked.

"I'd be glad to test drive it, but I'm not any sort of expert on European import cars at all," Burt said, taking the keys Blaine was holding out to him nonetheless. He got in and started the motor purring. Murphy looked up to see if he could ride with his master, but Kurt took him by the collar and put him back in the house, giving him a good rub behind the ears first.

"I'll just drive once around the block to test it," Burt grinned, his excitement not well hidden when he got the look of a five-year-old on his face and put the car in first gear. He drove it slowly and carefully until he was out of sight of the boys, then gave it a thorough test, checking the gears, cornering, stopping, etc. He was back in his driveway in five minutes.

"It's the tires. Here, let me show you," Burt said, walking around to the back tire and kneeling down to show Blaine the problem with the tread. "See where the rubber of the tire is worn here?" he rubbed hard with a finger and little bits of the rubber came away. "Tire rot. I bet when they did the tune-up they never thought to check the tires," Burt explained. "It's probably not safe to drive; tire rot is an invitation for a blow-out when you hit high speeds. Come down to my shop and I'll set you up with four new tires."

"That would be great," Blaine said, turning to Kurt. "I'm sorry I put you in danger, I had no idea the tires were bad."

"Well, no harm no foul, I had a good time and nothing happened. Let's go get some new ones," Burt said. Kurt jumped into the back seat. Blaine got in the passenger seat and Burt drove to his shop.

New tires made the car even more enjoyable to drive. Burt and Blaine had a difference of opinion over whether Blaine would pay for the tires, but Burt finally gave in, but told Blaine only the wholesale price.

After a long lunch the boys decided to take a walk to the park down the street from Burt's house. Murphy came up to Blaine and wagged his tail. He knew Blaine was the soft one when it came to dogs and so he begged to come along by putting his head on Blaine's knee.

"Can Murphy come with us?" Blaine asked Burt.

"If you don't mind. I've been pretty busy and he thinks he's being neglected," Burt laughed. Kurt snorted.

"Yeah, as if my dad could ignore that dog for five minutes. Murphy sleeps in his bed!" Kurt said, rolling his eyes at his dad.

Blaine clipped the leash on Murphy's collar when Burt brought it out and the two boys left to sit in the park.

There were flower beds and a sculpture garden at the park and they walked around looking until they found a place to sit near the lake. Kurt got out a tennis ball he had in his pocket and showed it to the old dog, who wagged his tail even harder. Kurt threw it and Murphy sat beside him, tense and alert, waiting for the signal to fetch. Kurt gave a wave of his hand in the gesture and said, "Get it!".

Murphy ran slowly, but he still had a smooth stride and covered the ground efficiently when he went to get the ball. He snatched it on the run and was almost back to Kurt before he slowed. He sat to get praise in the form of petting and a piece of chicken liver. Kurt kept the small pouch for snacks for Murphy when they went out.

Goodbyes were said and Kurt told his dad he couldn't come home the next weekend because the Warblers were singing in the annual charity fundraiser 'Dalton Days'. They made plans for the following week.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Let's go ahead and just sleep here tonight," Blaine suggested. They had come back to the Anderson place to get their things and Blaine was hoping that being alone with Kurt might be preferable to trying to be romantic in a dorm full of nosy teenage boys.

"Sure. I have my history book here, I can catch up on the next part in half an hour or so," Kurt said. "Why aren't you reading?"

"I already know all about Rodrigo and Cesare Borgia," he said, walking over to sit next to Kurt on the sofa.

"And how do you know about them? Oh...yeah, you lived in Italy," Kurt said, turning to look at Blaine. "I bet that was part of the history classes?"

"Ah...no. I learned all I need to know playing Assassin's Creed," Blaine said, a goofy grin on his face.

"Assassin's Creed? What's that? Oh...wait a minute. You're telling me you are depending on a video game to teach you about the history of the Templars in fifteenth century Italy? You have got to be fucking kidding me!" Kurt rolled his eyes so hard he almost fell off the chair. "Really? Really?"

By this time, Blaine was rolling on the bed, laughing so hard he had to hold his stomach. He rolled over on his belly and looked up at Kurt, his head in palms, elbows holding him up on the bed.

"No. But, boy, did I get you!" Blaine laughed again.

"Blaine Devon Anderson...you are sooo going to pay for that," Kurt threatened and launched himself at the bed, landing beside Blaine and tickling him in the ribs until he was squealing.

"Stop! Stop, Kurt! Oh, I'm gonna piss myself..." he tried to say, but his breath was gone and he had to gasp for air. He pushed Kurt off of him and rolled over the boy, pinning him to the bed by lying on top of him and holding his wrists to the mattress above his head. He looked down at Kurt, seeing the sparkling blue eyes and the pink lips - - and leaned down to kiss him, not letting go of his wrists.

When Kurt regained his own breath, he calmed down and struggled with his wrists for a moment, but Blaine was still holding him tightly. So Kurt looked up with his face as innocent as he could project and asked in a husky whisper worthy of Lauren Bacall: "Now you have me, what are you going to do with me, Big Fella?"

Blaine cracked up again, laughing loudly for a moment, but the pull of Kurt's kissable lips and big blue eyes was too much.

"I think I'll kiss you," he said and gave Kurt a quick, chaste, kiss. Just a little peck really. Kurt struggled to either get his hands loose or to lean forward enough to kiss back, but Blaine was a lot stronger than Kurt had given him credit for. It was a stalemate with neither of them getting what they wanted and neither of them strong enough to overpower the other, so Blaine switched tactics and let Kurt go, wrapping his arms around his torso and holding him impossibly tight while he kissed him over and over.

"Can we lose the shirts?" Kurt said, so quietly that Blaine almost missed it. He sat back, pulling the light wool sweater he was wearing over his head and laying it on the chair beside the bed. He turned back to see it hadn't taken Kurt very long to remove his, either, and once again wrapped the boy in his arms, thrilling to the feel of so much skin touching him.

"Kurt, I know you said you didn't know what to do next, but now I'm wondering if you want to find out," Blaine asked him, his expression serious.

The red blush climbed up and covered most of Kurt's face and down his chest as he felt the prickles of it in his cheeks. He was taken by surprise, not sure what to reply. He wanted to be with Blaine, wanted to feel the things his imagination had been supplying to his brain in dreams, but he was suddenly tongue tied. He blinked, trying desperately to find words to convey what he wanted – but instead the emotion of his confusion brought tears to his eyes.

Blaine immediately let go, apologizing for what he thought was overstepping and upsetting this boy he wanted to impress.

"Blaine..." Kurt whispered, now grabbing at his hands to keep him from leaving.

"I better go, Kurt. I didn't mean to cause you any grief, and I'm just not good with communicating with you I think. I thought you wanted me..." Blaine apologized, trying to twist his wrist away from Kurt's grasping hand.

"No! Don't go, Blaine. I want you – I want to be with you, experience things with you, but I don't really have any frame of reference. I am clueless and I'm afraid you're going to have to show me the right path. Please, Blaine, don't give up on me just because I'm not sure of...of anything right now. Well, not sure of how to ask for what I want, anyway," Kurt said, holding Blaine's wrist so tightly the veins in his hands were bulging.

Blaine put his other hand on Kurt's, coaxing him to loosen his grip and let the blood flow once again to his hand.

"Oh...sorry, Blaine," Kurt said, blushing again.

"Okay, how about I suggest something and you tell me yes or no?" Blaine asked, his voice soft and coaxing.

"Okay, I can do that," Kurt agreed.

"Is it okay if we take off our jeans and get into bed with our underwear on?" Blaine asked, hoping that going slowly might be the key to alleviate Kurt's anxiety.

"Okay," Kurt agreed and let go of Blaine, reaching to undo his jeans and peel them off. He folded them neatly, matching the seams so the front creases lined up, then set them on the chair next to Blaine's. Without looking over at Blaine, he quickly slid under the covers and moved to the far side of the bed, leaving plenty of space for Blaine.

Blaine sat still after removing his jeans, watching Kurt and feeling so bad for his nerves. He wondered for the hundredth time if this was the right thing to do. He wanted Kurt so badly – wanted to touch him, caress him, lick him, enter him. He wanted Kurt so much it often drove everything else from his mind. He sighed and told himself that it was going to be worth it one day when Kurt was his.

"How about we just lie here and hold each other like we do at night? I give you my solemn oath that I will not do anything you don't want me to. All you have to do is say the word and I will stop. Do you trust me?" Blaine asked. This, he suddenly saw, was the whole crux of the relationship: Did Kurt trust him?

Kurt laid there, his eyes closed and his hands folded into fists as he battled his inner nerves. He thought he trusted Blaine, but then why was he so full of anxiety? He truthfully had no idea, so he made a decision to trust Blaine until he showed he couldn't be trusted. That decided, he opened his eyes and looked at Blaine. He saw the beautiful person he had met on the stairs at Dalton, the one who sent electric sparks through his body when they touched, the one he had dreamed about years before they had even met. Yes, this was the person he had dreamed about! It was becoming clear to him. Blaine was the one he had waited for, dreamed about, wanted and wished for. Blaine.

The decision was still new in his head when he allowed his body to react. He rolled towards Blaine, arms wrapping around him and tugging him close, lips finding Blaine's mouth and kissing, but not like they had done before. Kurt poured every ounce of passion into that kiss, then ran his hands down Blaine's body. He felt his ribs, smiled at the gasp as he held Blaine's hips, his thumbs caressing the hip bones and pulling down the briefs that were almost the only thing between himself and what he wanted to touch.

Backing away, Kurt reached down and removed his last garment, the scarlet boxer briefs he had put on this morning. Now there was nothing between him and Blaine. Nothing. Just the thought of Blaine's naked skin, and the fact that it was a bare few inches from Kurt's, made him lightheaded. He was trembling with eagerness, but Blaine might have been a mile away for all the good it did Kurt. He was frozen. He wanted to touch Blaine so badly and yet...

"Blaine..." he whispered, his trembling now more pronounced. He was shaking by the time Blaine answered.

"Kurt, calm down. We don't have to do anything. Let's just lie here together, like we do when we're getting ready to fall asleep. I promise I won't do anything you don't want me to," Blaine pleaded. Now that he had Kurt here in the bed with him, naked and so beautiful, he didn't want to take a step back. Slowly he turned towards Kurt and touched his hand to the boy's face. Kurt didn't jump as Blaine had thought he would, but turned into his hand and brought his own to cup it tighter to his cheek.

"Blaine, I just can't make myself move, but I want so badly to feel your skin against mine. Please...can you...?"

"Okay. Here, put your hand on my wrist, yes, make a circle of your fingers around my wrist. Now, if I move to a place you don't want me to touch you, just tighten your fingers and I will know to stop," Blaine said, hoping this would work. No matter how much he wanted to touch and caress every inch of Kurt's body, he knew it would all be lost if he went too fast.

He scooted closer, but still didn't touch. He put his mouth on Kurt's lips, kissing him, waiting until Kurt kissed back before moving on. He gave Kurt's skin little kitten kisses across his cheeks, along his jaw, down to his neck. Nipping a bit as he went, sometimes using his tongue to taste his skin, Blaine kissed him down to his collarbones. Kurt was relaxed and humming his approval, not yet ready to speak or excited enough to moan.

"I want to touch you," Blaine whispered. He reached out his hand, Kurt's fingers gripping his wrist lightly. Running his fingers down the center of Kurt's chest, along the sternum, rubbing tiny circles as he went, drawing concentric circles and spirals all along... he checked to see that Kurt was still calm. Then Blaine moved closer, still not touching but within a hair's breadth of his cock brushing Kurt's thigh.

Fingers trailed down the light bit of chestnut hair below Kurt's belly, the hair so much softer than Blaine had expected that he took in a breath and Kurt turned to him, stiffening for a moment, but relaxing as Blaine just continued to touch him lightly.

He was surprised to find how hard Kurt's erection was, given how nervous he appeared. Blaine brushed over it with the back of his hand, now humming himself as he tried to keep calm. He was aching now, his own erection so hard he imagined pounding nails with it. He smiled at the thought and Kurt mistook it for encouragement and smiled back in the dim light from the window. Kurt made a noise in his throat and Blaine looked over at his face. Kurt smiled and removed his fingers from Blaine's wrist, giving him an encouraging pat and turned a little more towards him.

Blaine moved his hand down, stroking the root of Kurt's beautiful cock, so long and elegant, so perfectly hard for him. He put his fingers around the shaft and stroked up to the tip, Kurt's eyes closing as his mouth opened and an almost silent moan came out.

"Remember that morning, Kurt? I was just on the other side of the glass from you. I could hear every moan, every slide of your hand over your hard cock, Kurt. You were so aroused that you couldn't keep your hands from touching yourself, from stroking, feeling the heat build, knowing I was just inches from you – doing the same thing," Blaine whispered into Kurt's ear, teasing him, coaxing him along.

Kurt grabbed Blaine's bicep, holding it tightly as his hips thrust up into Blaine's hand – causing him to hold on tighter. Blaine's fingers moved back down the shaft, watching Kurt's face as his eyes screwed tightly shut and he was holding his breath. Blaine continued to stroke gently, barely gripping as he moved his hips closer and rubbed his cock against Kurt's thigh. He was concentrating on being as tender and gentle as he could, not wanting to scare Kurt, when he felt a hand folding around his own hard erection. Kurt's fingers explored the skin, moving lightly but it felt like the fingers were on fire as they began stroking him, just a bit faster and a bit harder than Blaine.

He took that as encouragement and before long they were both pumping and stroking...

"Blaine, stop," Kurt said and Blaine stopped, pulling his hand back and wondering just what he had done wrong. Damn, was he enjoying Kurt's hand too much and got sloppy or something?

"Do we have any lubrication?" Kurt asked.

"Ah...yeah. Right here," Blaine said, moving aside a sliding door and reaching into one of the shelves of the headboard. He quickly removed the plastic wrapper from the cap and opened it, pouring some into Kurt's outstretched hand. He added a big dollop to his own hand, shifted his weight to be closer to Kurt, and placed his hand back on Kurt's cock. The lube wasn't cold, but not very warm at first, either. Kurt jumped but recovered and they were back to stroking.

Blaine noticed Kurt slowing down just as he had begun to go faster, but one glance at Kurt's face explained it all. His eyes were once more closed tight and his breath ragged as he seemed to be having an inner struggle of some sort. Blaine leaned in and took his mouth, licking across his lower lip and then kissing him deeply. Kurt's muscles were twitching, toes curled in the sheets, thigh muscles trembling when he let go of Blaine and took a huge gulp of air, letting out an amazing noise something between a moan and an animal growl as he pushed his hips forward, Blaine's hand still stroking hard now, his thumb caressing the crown and then Kurt was climaxing. He moaned, his hips bucking and his hands gripping Blaine's arms tightly for what seemed like ages.

Kurt was almost finished when he remembered what he was doing and grasped Blaine once again, stroking hard, pumping his erection – taking nips of Blaine's neck and sucking on the flesh, until spirals of heat flowed into Blaine's belly and he was coming, too. His eyes closed, he missed the look of utter amazement on Kurt's face as he watched Blaine.

Half an hour later, they lay together, still naked but warm, clean, and sleepy under the blankets. Kurt was still in awe of everything that had happened, and he felt as if his heart was singing for joy for the first time in his life. He kissed Blaine's sleeping lips once more, just because he knew he could, and closed his eyes to sleep.


	20. Chapter 20 - Dalton Days

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Twenty – Dalton Days**

"What should we get for the auction?" Blaine asked. They were thinking of what to donate for the big charity auction that Dalton students held every year.

It was tradition for the students and faculty to find nice things to auction to raise money to donate to a cause every year, and The Warblers had a special pride in coming up with the things that brought in the most money. Every year they auctioned off a "Night with the Warblers" in which the winner went to dinner with the Warbler of her/his choice and the group serenaded them afterwards in the venue of their choosing – which was usually the City Park so everyone could enjoy the music.

"I could ask Dad to give a free car lubrication at his shop? I could do the actual work, though," Kurt suggested.

"You know how to work on cars?" Blaine asked, looking at Kurt with new eyes, imagining him in one of those wrench-monkey overalls, dirt and grease on his hands, a streak across his cheek, bending over under the hood of a car...

"Yeah. I mean, I grew up in the shop, I have been helping my dad fix cars since I was eight. It isn't my first choice in recreation, but I can do it," Kurt looked indignant.

"Sorry, Kurt. I was imagining you in a grease-stained mechanic's overall, dirt under your fingernails," Blaine confessed, looking at Kurt with a side glance. Kurt was rubbing his fingernails against his shirt with a grim and disgusted look on his face.

"Latex gloves, Blaine. I endanger my manicure for no man," Kurt quipped, laughing at Blaine's funny face.

"I called my grandparents and they said I could take one of the watercolor paintings from the pink bedroom. But I wanted something really special," Blaine said.

"We could go look in Andy and Buddy's apartment. I still haven't been inside, but I bet we could find something cool to auction," Kurt suggested.

It was after classes on Wednesday, no Warbler rehearsal, so they were free to go explore the apartment.

Driving up to the building, Kurt parked in front and the two boys got out.

"This brings back so many memories..." Blaine lamented as they found the right key and walked up the stairs.

"I don't know how long Andy was in the nursing home, so no idea how long it was since anyone was here," Kurt said as he found the second key and undid the deadbolt on the door at the top of the stairs. They walked in cautiously, looking around. Everything had been covered with sheets, the furniture, the bookcases, everything. Kurt walked in, removing the sheets as they progressed across the room.

When everything in the room was uncovered, Kurt began to cough and Blaine went to open the windows to take advantage of the breeze. They walked through, looking around, and when they came to the wall of framed photographs both of them had tears in their eyes.

"Oh...he looks so happy in this one! I think that is the same lake Dad and I took him to when we had the picnic. I walked with him part way around the lake. I really think he had fun that day. Maybe he was remembering the last time he'd been there?" Kurt said.

"The man standing next to him is Buddy. Have you ever seen a picture of him before?" Blaine asked.

"No. He had lost his sight not too long after I met him, and his things had been taken to his lawyer's office, so I didn't see it if he had one there," Kurt explained.

"Here's a picture of Buddy and Andy when they were closer to our age," Blaine said, pointing farther down the wall. "Oh...wow. I knew you resembled Buddy, but look – that could be a picture of you."

Kurt just stood and stared. It did look like him. No wonder Andy had called him 'Buddy' from time to time. He was a dead ringer for the man. But not more so than Andy looked like Blaine. It was uncanny...even frightening in a way. He got a funny feeling and went back to the photo taken when the men were probably in their sixties. If he and Blaine looked this much like Andy and Buddy in that picture...was this how they would look later in life? He turned to see Blaine staring at him, glancing at the photograph and then staring at Kurt. They were thinking the same thing.

"I...I don't know what to say, Blaine. This is just...it doesn't make sense. How could we look so much alike?" Kurt asked.

"It isn't just that. How could you have known the words to Buddy's Song? Why do I feel like I'm not getting to know you, it's more like my soul is remembering us together...even if my actual memory can't..." Blaine said, his voice sounding scared.

They walked over to sit on the sofa, arms around each other as they gazed at the wall of photographs.

"It just doesn't make good sense, how could it be? But I feel the same way, Blaine. Like I have known you all my life and I have just been _waiting_ for you," Kurt whispered, hugging Blaine's neck.

They sat together for a while, just letting it all sink in. They wanted to talk, but neither knew what to say and finally they just got up and started looking around at the rest of the apartment.

"This was Buddy's studio. He was in advertising – he designed and drew illustrations and things for ad agencies. I think he worked for several fashion houses, too. When I would visit, he let me sit at this drafting table and use his tools to draw. It looks like he just left it an hour ago – everything in place," Blaine said, looking at the drafting tools hung up on the peg board, the table and cabinets tidy. There was a studio portrait of Andy framed on the wall where Buddy probably looked at it while working.

Next to the photo of Andy was another of a huge dog, shaggy but sweet looking. He was sitting in a place surrounded by grass, perhaps a park. Kurt looked closely at the dog and he began to tremble. It was the dog that chased the bullies away from him at the park. But Buddy's dog died decades ago...he had to have, Written across the bottom of the photo it said: "Buck – June 1967". There was no way it could have been the same dog. - but it was. He remembered Andy calling the dog 'Buck'. Kurt grasped Blaine's hand a bit tighter as they went to the next room.

"This must be Andy's music room, right?" Kurt guessed, although it was a foregone conclusion with the instruments in their cases and piles of sheet music in bright color folders and stacked on the shelves.

"Yeah...I spent a lot of time here. Did I tell you that Andy taught me to play?" Blaine asked.

"No, but I don't doubt it. What did he teach you?"

"Everything but the harp. Grandma taught me that, but Andy taught me guitar, violin, cello, piano, banjo...he even taught me to play a harmonica. I loved music and he was the same way. We bonded the minute I met him," Blaine said, smiling at the memory. "I don't even know the words to describe my first meeting with Andy and Buddy – Cooper and I came one summer and our uncles picked us up at the airport. I had been hesitant to leave home, even though Coop was with me. I must have been seven, maybe eight, that summer. It was such a long flight and I was scared because Cooper kept telling me that I might start flying around the cabin like the astronauts, and all we could see below us was the ocean.

"So, when we cleared customs with the stewardess in charge of us, I saw Andy and Buddy waiting for us. They scooped me up in their arms and I just knew I was home. Like when I met you, Kurt. I knew the moment we touched that day...that we were meant to be together. Didn't you?" Blaine asked, his heart pounding so hard his chest hurt. He was a little afraid of Kurt's answer – not that Kurt would deny it, just that it might scare him to admit the truth of it because Blaine was absolutely convinced they were meant to be together.

Kurt stood next to Blaine, the truth of what Blaine had just voiced filling him. He knew Blaine was right, he had felt the very same thing at that moment. It still overwhelmed him to think of something that huge – that he had found his Prince Charming, found the love of his life and that it was beyond the ken of anyone looking in from the outside. He put out his arms, needing Blaine to hold him before he fell to the ground.

And Blaine was there, holding him, kissing him, saving him from all the bad things in life. He loved Blaine. He did. He tugged Blaine closer and kissed back, knowing this – what they had together - would indeed last the ages.

They fell down on the dusty sofa.

Kurt coughed, the dust all over the room. He laughed and Blaine joined in. Served them right for getting too serious.

"Okay, let's check out the rest of the apartment," Kurt encouraged, getting up and holding out his hand to Blaine. They went in the next room.

"This was Buddy's room, but it was where Coop and I slept when we visited. Tell me what you think of the vibe in this room," Blaine requested. Kurt stood still for a moment, his eyes closed. Then he opened them and looked around.

"Buddy didn't stay here, even when they didn't have guests, did he?" Kurt asked, but he was making a statement by the tone in his voice.

"No. I don't think so. They were lovers at a time when that was taking your life into your hands. They told everyone they were roommates, but a few of us who really knew them understood the truth of it," Blaine said. They left the room, which didn't really have _bad_ vibes, just non-existent ones. Walking into Andy's bedroom, Kurt knew the difference immediately.

"Oh...this is the heart of the apartment, I can feel it," he smiled, feeling so close to Andy he half-expected to reach out and touch him.

"Yes. This is where they spent most of their time – reading, playing gin, talking. Here, wait a sec..." Blaine said, stepping over to the window to open the drapes which revealed French doors. He opened those and stepped out on the balcony.

"They ate breakfast out here in the warm months and sat here to look at the stars at night. This place, above all, I remember as the best place to be. I spent so many hours sitting here with them, playing my guitar while we sang," Blaine said, his eyes dreamy.

Kurt walked over and sat in a chair, dusting off the seat first. Blaine sat next to him, a smile on his face.

"It's a pretty view from here you know," Kurt said, looking across the park.

"It's even better at night," Blaine said.

"I guess we should be looking for something to give to the auction," Kurt said. They walked back through the apartment, but neither of them found anything to give away. Every piece seemed precious to them, like it wasn't supposed to leave the apartment. In the end, they put the sheets back over the furniture and closed and locked the windows and doors. When they were about to leave, Kurt went to the wall where the family photos were and took the one that had Andy and Buddy, sitting next to each other and holding hands, a shy smile gracing both faces.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Blaine chose one of the watercolors from the pink bedroom for the charity auction and Kurt offered a tune-up on a car. They added these to the large amount of items for auction the day before the charity event.

All of the Warblers had been practicing, meeting for rehearsal after rehearsal to be sure they were ready. Several solos were assigned: Blaine, Kurt, Sebastian, and Nick would each have a solo for the singing portion of the event.

The carnival people came and set up the rides on Dalton's soccer fields, the risers were moved outside for the Warblers to stand on when they sang, and the food court was set up by parents of the Dalton boys as an added fundraiser.

Back in their dorm room, Kurt and Blaine were setting out the clothes they would wear after the Warbler's part of the evening. They would be first, then they had the rest of the evening to play and enjoy the event.

"I like the dark brown linen slacks with the fox-colored sweater-vest. Maybe use the cream colored shirt underneath?" Kurt suggested. Blaine had thought all of his life that he was perfectly able to pick out his own clothes, but apparently he wasn't. According to Kurt, who had something to say about everything he wore. Some days he was glad for a bit of advice, but today was not one of them. He just nodded his head at Kurt and went on setting out the red denim jeans with the black polo shirt and yellow suspenders that he had planned on in the first place.

Kurt looked over at Blaine's bed and the clothes lying on it.

"Oh, so you don't like my suggestion?" he asked.

"Your suggestion is wonderful, Kurt, but I know we're going to be walking around the grass, riding on carnival rides that have young children on them with sticky fingers and who spill all manner of gross things wherever they go. No, I don't want to wear my best linen slacks. And I would advise you not to dress in your best, either, no matter how gorgeous you look in them. Now, let's rethink the jeans?"

Kurt laughed.

"All right. Now that you put it that way – yes, I think jeans are the way to go tonight. Thanks, Blaine," he said, leaning over to kiss his boyfriend. Blaine smiled into the kiss, gloating that he had been right in a fashion choice for once.

Blaine glanced at his watch.

"Yikes! We had better get going...oh, can't forget my tie," he said, grabbing the Dalton tie and swinging it around his neck to tie on his way out the door. Kurt, of course, was already dressed and looking like he was about to entertain a queen. He always did.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Tonight we welcome you to the 105th Annual Dalton Days, a tradition here at Dalton Academy reaching back over a century in the school's history to pay back to our fine community some of the love and faith they have given Dalton for all of those years. First up, I would like to introduce you to Dalton's own "Warblers". They are as old as the school itself and have a glorious tradition of winning competitions on a national scale. Here they are, The Dalton Academy Warblers!"

The boys stood on the risers, all eyes on Wes for the nod to begin. When they saw it, they began to hum quietly, building in tempo and volume until Sebastian stepped forward with a microphone:

_The sun goes down,  
The stars come out,  
And all that counts,  
Is here and now,  
My universe will never be the same,  
I'm glad you came,_

For the verse, all of the Warblers join in, singing "Glad You Came" for the visitors.

_You cast a spell on me, spell on me,  
You hit me like the sky fell on me, fell on me  
And I decided you look well on me, well on me  
So let's go somewhere no one else can see, you and me._

With that rousing start, the Warblers sing five more songs, ending with Blaine singing "Teenage Dream" to the cheers and whistles of the crowd.

The Warblers file off stage, going back to their dorms to change out of their uniforms for the rest of the evening. They would sing the last song of the evening, but not in the uniforms.

"What do you want to do first?" Blaine asked, heading for the rides.

"The Carousel, of course," Kurt said, leading Blaine to the line to wait their turn.

"It must be a culture thing – I would call this a Merry-Go-Round," Blaine told him.

"Do you know the difference?" Kurt asked, a teasing smile on his face. Blaine shook his head 'no'.

"Well, this one is a Carousel because it goes counter-clockwise. A Merry-go-Round runs clockwise. Now, which animal do you want?" Kurt asked as they walked on board the carousel.

"Oh! I want the Zebra!" Blaine shouted, running to claim the beautifully carved animal and swinging up into the gold and red saddle, grasping the red reins. The Zebra had long eyelashes and pink cheeks, and jewels set in the bridle with carved roses all around his neck. Kurt laughed at how much it's face resembled it's rider with those long lashes.

"Then I want the . . . Ostrich!" Kurt announced. He jumped aboard the elegant bird that had a similar saddle and bridal to the Zebra, but the Ostrich was done in blues and greens. Kurt sat side-saddle, his hand wrapped around the reins and resting upon his knee as he struck a pose that had Blaine laughing.

"Oh...you got the Ostrich!" they heard Trent say, sighing dramatically. Kurt grinned.

"You can have it...I see one I like up ahead..." Kurt slid off, patting Trent's back as he smiled at Kurt and got up on the Ostrich.

"Wait up, Kurt...I'll walk with you," Blaine offered. They looked at all the animals around the Carousel: a Camel, Sea-horse, Panda, Pig, Unicorn, Rabbit, Goat, Hyena, Giraffe, and of course, Horses...until they saw the ones they wanted. Kurt got on the Tiger, whose mouth was open in a snarl and had a long tail.

"You look absolutely regal on your steed, Sir Kurt," Blaine grinned as he hopped onto the Lion next to Kurt.

"As do you, Squire," Kurt giggled.

The music started and Kurt was surprised to find that instead of the typical 'Entry of the Gladiators', which was universally known as Circus music, this carousel was playing 'Edelweiss'. He sang along for a bit, then turned to Blaine to encourage him to sing, too. The trend went all around the Carousel as the Warblers broke into song and attracted a bit of a crowd.

As a new group of kids came to get on when the ride was done, the Warblers helped them find seats on their favorite animals, staying to hold some of the very young children when the ride started once again. This time Kurt and Blaine were standing in the Roman chariot pulled by two Polar Bears. Several youngsters were with the boys and Blaine helped them hold the reins as if they were driving the bears.

The children laughed and giggled and had a wonderful time.

"You are so good with kids, Blaine. Have you ever thought of going into something like teaching?" Kurt asked as they walked to the booth where they could throw ping pong balls at milk jugs. If the ball stayed on the rim of the bottle, you won a prize.

Blaine bought ten tries and got seven of them to stick, winning a kitten dressed in a jester costume for Kurt.

"Thank you, my hero," Kurt said in his most sensual voice, "I love it!"

Blaine squeezed Kurt's hand, then leaned up to give him a sweet kiss. They walked on, getting funnel cakes and then deep fried pickles.

"Want to go on the Tilt-A-Whirl?" Kurt asked, pulling Blaine along towards the ride. They paid for tickets and got on the ride, squeezing into the car together, placing their hands on the wheel. The ride started up, tilting them into the air and swinging around in circles as they spun the wheel to make the car go around faster. Kurt crashed into Blaine's side and made him squeal, then it tilted the other way and Blaine crashed into Kurt as the car spun around faster and faster. Kurt ended up with his eyes closed, no longer holding the wheel, but Blaine's arm instead until the ride stopped.

Blaine helped Kurt out and tried not to laugh as he wobbled along on shaky legs.

"Hey, stop laughing...this isn't funny. Here...hold me, please," Kurt whined. Blaine put his arms around Kurt's waist and practically carried him to a bench under a tree to sit until he felt better.

"That was fun," Kurt said, his head leaning on Blaine's shoulder. "Can we do it again?"

"Ah...no. You look like you're going to lose your lunch, my dear. No, I don't think Tilt-A-Whirl is good for your tummy after funnel cakes and deep fried pickles." Blaine laughed, putting his arm around Kurt and scooting close enough to kiss him properly.

"Okay. Let's try another luck game...maybe you can win me something this time?" Blaine asked.

"Lead me to it," Kurt smirked and got up, holding his Jester Cat in his arms. They found a booth where Kurt had to get three of five bean bags into tall milk cans. He put his money on the table and picked up the bags. In short order he threw all five into the milk cans.

"We have a winner here!" the barker proclaimed and asked Kurt which toy he wanted. "Or, if you can put five more in, you can have a toy off the back wall," he continued, waving his arm at the back wall of the booth. Blaine's eyes got big when he saw a big tiger. It looked like a real tiger, just smaller, with glass eyes and soft fur.

"Okay, five more bags then," Kurt said, laying down his money. He picked the bags up and threw them, one at a time, and got each one into a milk can. Blaine squealed and threw his arms around Kurt's neck, giving him a big kiss as the barker got the tiger down from the wall, patting Kurt on the back and smiling.

"Come see the winner, folks, ten bags in a row – it's that easy, everyone a winner tonight! Come play, come win!"

Blaine hugged his tiger, making growling noises. They sat down for a few minutes and Blaine managed to sneak Kurt's cat away, placing it in his tiger's mouth. Kurt noticed the loss immediately and was looking behind himself, then on the path they had walked when he saw it in Blaine's tiger's jaws.

"Hey! You can't feed my little kitten into your hungry tiger's jaws! No!" Kurt said, smacking the tiger on the nose and snatching his kitten back with a glare at Blaine. Blaine giggled and tickled Kurt's side, just where his ribs were really sensitive. He squealed and batted at Blaine's hands, giggling more as Blaine pretended to be hurt, then pretended that his tiger was eating his hand. Kurt was laughing so hard he almost fell off the bench.

"Hey, the evening is almost over. We have enough time for one more ride before we need to be back at the risers for the last song," Kurt said. We should do something romantic! I know...you can sit on the dunking tank and I will throw bean bags at the target. I'm not very accurate, so you'll be safe, Blainey." Kurt smiled at Blaine.

"Ah...no. Did I mention no? I'm pretty sure I was on the 'no' side," Blaine gave him big eyes.

Kurt laughed. "Where would you like to go?"

"How about...the Ferris Wheel?" Blaine suggested.

"Oh, I'd love that," Kurt agreed, taking Blaine's hand as he walked towards the ride. They bought tickets and stood in a short line, then got on the ride together, the tiger taking up a whole seat.

"Hey, should we leave the tiger with someone?" Kurt asked.

'No, I paid for a seat for him," Blaine laughed, buckling the seat belt around the stuffed animal. Kurt giggled and put his arm through Blaine's and laid his head on Blaine's shoulder.

"Wow, look at all the stars out tonight," Blaine said, staring at the sky. Kurt smiled and sighed. This was perfect. When their car went above the crowd, Blaine leaned over and took Kurt in his arms, kissing him thoroughly. They barely stopped for air as the ride slowly moved them up into the sky, Kurt holding Blaine so close, pressing his soft lips to Blaine's warm ones, moving slowly and tasting Blaine's lower lip. Blaine opened his mouth, letting Kurt in, moaning just a little as he became aroused.

"Hey, we need to keep calm. We have to stand in front of all of these people to sing in fifteen minutes and you are wearing sinfully tight jeans, my love. Let's save it for after..." Blaine warned, but kissed Kurt one more time before sitting back and enjoying the view.

It ended too quickly, and the boys were running to get to the risers to sing the last song of the evening. All of the Warblers in place now, Wes signalled them to start the song.

"_Oh I, never thought I'd feel this way  
And as far as I'm concerned  
I'm glad I've got a chance to to say  
That I do believe I love you  
And if I, I should ever go away  
Well than close your eyes  
and try to feel the way we do today  
And then if you can't remember"_

Blaine's voice rang out across the grounds as the people gathered for the end of the evening. All eyes were on the good looking student, especially Kurt's. Blaine stepped back at the end of the verse, Kurt walking forward for his solo on the second verse.

_"And I, though you heard it all before  
Well I'll tell you one more time  
So I can be completely sure  
So you know how much I love  
And if I should ever go away  
well then close your eyes and try  
to feel the way we feel this day  
and then if you can't remember"_

All of the Warblers stepped up and sang the chorus, Kurt fading back to stand next to Blaine, reaching out to hold his hand for a moment, but skittering away when he saw Wes give him a frown. He stood straight and smiled at the crowd as they had practiced.

_Keep smiling, Keep shining  
Knowing you can always count on me for sure  
That's what friends are for  
For the good times and the bad times  
I'll be on your side forevermore  
That's what friends are for, Yeah_

The crowd clapped and whistled, enjoying the Warblers. It was a good song to end a great evening. After the last song, the announcements were made for the charity auction.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have achieved the most funds ever raised at a Dalton Days Charity Event in the history of the school! Preliminary totals are still being added up, but I can tell you they have exceeded any charity contributions on record," the Master of Ceremonies told the crowd. When the cheering was done, he announced the winning bid for one of the Warblers to sing at a private event.

"This year the winning bid to have A Dalton Warbler was for $2,500, bid for one of our soloists of the night, Sebastian Smythe!" The crowd clapped, a few whistles were heard, and Seb walked forward to bow and wave at the crowd. All of the Warblers clapped, happy to see he was so thrilled.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

That was the end of the evening, and Kurt held out a hand to Blaine. They walked back to the dorm room amid the carnival workers taking down the booths and rides to pack away for another event. It was still a lovely evening and the boys strolled under the trees, coming out on a grassy field.

Standing in that field, Blaine looked up at the sky, smiling at Kurt.

"Andy and Buddy probably looked up at the same sky and told each other how much they cared for one another, and maybe even that they shared a love that just might last the ages," Blaine said, pulling Kurt closer and wrapping his arms around Kurt's waist.

"I think we have the same future, don't we? To spend the rest of our lives together? I just feel it in my bones, Blaine. Every time I see you, every time you take my hand, touch my face, kiss my lips – it says it all to me. We were meant to be together in this world," Kurt smiled, hugging Blaine.

"We are meant to be together in this life, Kurt, and into the next. I know it," Blaine replied. They broke apart, each squeezing the others' hand before letting go to run the last hundred yards to the dormitory.


	21. Chapter 21 - Coming Apart

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Twenty-One – Coming Apart**

"Okay, Dad...sure. I'll be there. I promised I would and Hummels don't break promises, right? Okay then," Kurt ended his phone call. He was sitting on the floor in the hallway, it was four-thirty in the morning and his dad had called. It seemed he had some chest pain and Carole was insisting he go to the hospital. Kurt struggled to his feet and was going back inside the dorm room, trying to be silent as he moved around to get some clothes out of the closet.

"What's up, Kurt?" Blaine's voice was heard from the other side of the room.

"Shhh..go back to sleep. My dad..." was all Kurt got out before he broke, his hands trembling. He continued buttoning his shirt, looking in his closet to find a matching pair of pants.

"Your dad? What happened? Is he okay?" Blaine asked, throwing his feet over the side of his bed to get up.

"No, no...stay in bed. I'm going to just drive home and see what I can do," Kurt mumbled, now stepping into a looser-fitting pair of jeans than usual.

Blaine was by his side now, putting a hand to his shoulder.

"Kurt, wait. Tell me what's wrong," Blaine pleaded, knowing it was serious.

"He is having chest pains. Carole is with him, but she is insisting he go to the hospital. I know he didn't want to scare me, but I heard a siren in the background," Kurt said, his voice high and rough.

"Okay. I'll be ready to go in just a minute," Blaine said, stumbling quickly to his closet and shedding his pajamas on the way. He was dressed with car keys in hand before Kurt had finished throwing a few things in his backpack.

"Blaine, you don't have to go. I can do this myself..." Kurt started to say, but Blaine's arms were around him and his breath was in Kurt's ear.

"I would never let you go through this alone, Kurt. Never. I will drive you and stay as long as you need me. All right? Now, no argument, let's go," Blaine said, giving Kurt a gentle kiss on his temple and taking his hand to lead him to the parking lot.

"Would you rather take your Navigator? I think this will be faster, but I'm okay driving your vehicle," Blaine asked, but Kurt was already throwing his bag in the back seat of Blaine's sports car.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Dad?" Kurt said as he stepped into the hospital room on the cardiac floor.

"Kurt. Come here, son," Burt said, holding a hand out to him. Kurt walked across the floor...a thousand miles from the door to the bed as his own heart did flip-flops.

"Dad, how are you?" Kurt asked.

"Well, parts of me are doing fine. But maybe not all of them," Burt said, trying to joke to make it less painful when he told his son what they meant to do. "Did you drive here?"

No, Blaine was kind enough to drive – we took his Jaguar," Kurt gave his dad a thin smile.

"Thank you, Blaine. It's good to know that my son has you in his corner," Burt said, a wan smile on his face. Blaine nodded in appreciation. Kurt tapped his foot on the floor, not letting himself become distracted from what was going on.

"Be blunt, Dad. Tell me what is going on. Shouldn't there be doctors and nurses in here? Where's Carole?"

"She is filling out the insurance stuff. They already did the testing and tomorrow morning I am having bypass surgery," Burt said, his voice weak, but his eyes sparkling with life. It was different than the last heart attack when Burt was in a coma.

"Tomorrow? Wow, they aren't messing around. Okay." Kurt tried to stand still, but felt his knees getting weaker the longer he stood there. Bypass surgery. This was serious.

"Why so quickly?" he asked.

Burt just lay there, trying to form an answer that Kurt could take in his present condition. He looked fragile and Burt didn't know what to do if he collapsed – and he looked damn close to it. Because Burt had never lied to his son, and he wasn't about to start now.

"They had a space, it was convenient with me here already...so, yeah, we scheduled it," Burt said, trying to smile but his mouth was shaking, trying to appear carefree.

"Dad...how bad is it?"

"It's going to be fine as soon as they get the surgery done. Okay, bud? They caught it in time," Burt assured the boy.

Kurt was frozen in space, his feet refused to move, refused to walk the final few steps to reach his father in the bed. He was lightheaded...his dad was going to have _heart surgery_. The doctors were going to stick knives in him, spread his ribs apart, and put their hands on his beating heart.

Just as he felt himself weaken to the point he was falling, strong arms were there to catch him and suddenly those same warm hands were holding him together.

Blaine.

Kurt turned and threw himself into Blaine's arms, feeling the shorter boy's strength and becoming very grateful that he was in love with this amazing boy. He buried his face in Blaine's neck for a moment, taking in the fresh linen and black pepper scent. He felt a little stronger and allowed Blaine to help him over to his dad's bed.

"Hello, Mr Hummel," Blaine said, but he never let go of Kurt's waist. He nodded at Burt who gave him a tentative smile.

"Hi, Blaine. Thank you for bringing Kurt. I was worried about him driving by himself," Burt said, locking eyes with Blaine, trying to tell him how thankful he was. Blaine gave him a small nod and Burt relaxed.

Carole breezed into the room, stopping for a brief moment when she saw Kurt and Blaine. She went to Kurt, hugging him and then to Blaine for another hug. Kurt was taken by surprise, but adjusted quickly. If she was with his dad at three in the morning, she must have been ...staying the night? Yes. Well, his dad was a grown man and Kurt felt relieved that she was there when Burt needed her.

"Carole, how are you?" he asked, knowing she would understand he meant how she was doing with the health issues concerning Burt.

"I'm fine, Kurt. I'm so glad you were able to come, you, too, Blaine," she said. Kurt knew by her look that she had interpreted his unasked question and was answering. She turned to Burt. "The doctors have written the orders for you to be prepped for the surgery tomorrow, Burt. They have scheduled the surgery for 7 am and it will be around 5 hours more or less. Today you're going to get some sedation so you can sleep most of the day and be well rested for the surgery, okay?"

"Do I have a choice?" Burt asked.

"No."

"Well, it's a good thing I agree then, isn't it?" Burt said, still trying for the humor aspect of it. Kurt went closer and put his arms delicately around his dad's shoulders, hugging him gently.

"I'm afraid they won't let me do this later, Dad. You'll be sore after surgery, so I'm getting my hugs in now," Kurt tried to joke back, but he still had tears in his eyes.

"Oh, Kurt...son...don't fret. I am going to be fine. The doctors told me I was lucky I came in when I did. He said they can fix this. I'm going to be just fine, okay?"

"I know, Dad. I know," Kurt assured his dad...although it didn't do much for his own confidence.

The door to the room opened and several medical staff came in, some setting up various IV drug lines, putting electronic leads onto the patches that were already stuck on Burt's chest, checking his vital signs.

"If I can ask everyone to wait outside for a few minutes, I will come to get you as soon as we're done in here," a woman in scrubs asked the three visitors. They reluctantly left the room and sat in a quiet corner of the waiting room down the hall.

"He looked so good, didn't he?" Kurt asked Carole.

"His color is good, his appetite has been good. I have taken the diet you researched and am helping him to stick to it. Did he tell you his cholesterol numbers have improved significantly since he started eating the foods you suggested, Kurt?" Carole said, trying to bolster his confidence in his dad's health.

"Thanks, Carole," Kurt answered, but his smile was gone from his face. He closed his eyes and rubbed them.

"I am going to go get some coffee in the nurse's lounge – it's better than the machine – can I get you two something?" she asked, knowing Kurt needed a few minutes to unwind before she told him more about the surgery.

"Can I maybe get some tea?" Kurt asked.

"Sure, tea for you, too, Blaine?"

"Yes, thank you," Blaine said. "Do you need some help?" Blaine's inner-gentleman asked, but Carole just shook her head and said she would be back soon.

When Carole was gone, Blaine took Kurt's hand and went into a small conference room at the side of the main waiting room. He sat down on the soft padded sofa and pulled Kurt down to sit close to him.

"Hey, are you going to be okay, Kurt?" Blaine asked, looking into Kurt's eyes.

"Oh...yeah. Sure...if you want to get back to Dalton, I can catch a ride from Carole later," Kurt said, totally misinterpreting Blaine's meaning.

"No...no, Kurt. I'm not leaving you! I just meant are you okay with how they are treating your dad. No, we are together now. That means I stay with you whenever you need me. Always. Okay? I will be right here to help in any way I can," Blaine promised.

"Oh...oh...thank god," Kurt's voice betrayed how desperate he was for Blaine to stay, but he went on with what he was saying, wishing to give Blaine an out if he wanted to leave.

"I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to get back to school, you went above and beyond by driving me here. I couldn't ask any more – but..." Kurt lost his ability to speak. He was so overcome with fear for his father and confusion about the changes in his life – it was nice his dad had Carole now, but Kurt hardly even knew her and didn't know what to think. His head hurt and his heart was still racing, and he was so relieved when Blaine gently cupped his chin and brought his head to rest on his strong shoulder. Kurt let out a huge sigh, the feeling of having his whole body rest against someone he had come to trust and rely upon was heavenly.

"Thank god you're here with me, Blaine, because I don't think I'm strong enough to go through this alone again," Kurt confessed. Blaine stroked his hair, rubbed his neck, and kissed his cheek.

"My place is here beside you, Kurt. Just like Andy's place was with Buddy. I will _always_ be here for you, baby," Blaine whispered, holding Kurt tightly for an instant. Did Blaine just call him 'baby'? Kurt let Blaine hold him, gaining strength from the boy as he tried to think about what this would mean for his dad.

He knew that even if everything went perfectly with the bypass surgery, his dad wouldn't be able to take care of the lawn and garden or do the household chores by himself. It would mean Kurt had to move back home to take care of his dad.

He thought about having to leave Dalton – there was no way they could afford the gas money to drive his Navigator 60 miles twice a day to commute. Kurt loved Dalton. He had made friends there, joined groups, and was doing well in his classes. He was safe – and not having his mind filled with fear every day meant he had time to study and now his grades might get him into college. And then there was the most important reason: _Blaine. _

He knew in his heart that he and Blaine were meant to be together. He knew this more, felt this deeper, than anything in his whole life. Blaine would wait for him. But the very thought of being so far away from Blaine was making a hole in his chest that he wasn't sure he could live through. His body began to shake.

"Hey, Kurt, are you okay? You know they said your dad was going to be fine, right? That they caught it in time?" Blaine said, trying to see Kurt's face, but it was buried in Blaine's neck and he was holding on with all of his might.

"It's going to be okay, I promise. Calm down, Kurt, you can go in and see your dad for yourself in just a few minutes," Blaine said. He was getting worried.

Carole came back, small cardboard tray in hand as she passed the boys their tea and set some sugar, sweetener, and honey packets on the table, not sure how they liked their tea.

Blaine took the honey packets and stirred some into Kurt's tea, holding the cup for him as he drank because his hands were still trembling. Carole saw this and put a hand to his shoulder.

"He's in good hands, Kurt. I know this doctor – your dad is going to be fine," she said.

Kurt took a few sips and cleared his throat.

"Ah...do you think I can see him soon? I will stay to do that, then I need to start getting things settled at home. He'll need to have someone there to take care of him. I can call Headmaster Ethridge and see what I need to do about a leave of absence from school. Oh...I need to get a notebook and pen to make a list..." Kurt said, his mind obviously scattered.

"Kurt," Carole said, taking his hand, "Please, listen to me. Right now you need to calm yourself so you can go see your dad. That is all you need to concentrate on for now. We can work out the details of everything else later when we know more. Okay?"

"Ah...okay," Kurt agreed, but not one of the three of them believed it.

"Kurt Hummel? You can come back to see your father now," the CNA told him. He got up with Blaine's help and straightened his spine. He was not going to let his father know how worried he was. He dried his face, smoothed his shirt and followed the woman down the hall, Carole and Blaine following him.

"Hey, Dad," Kurt said, the very picture of calmness as he sat in the chair beside his father's bed.

"Kurt..." Burt drawled, his eyes big as he tried to keep them open to see his son.

"How are you feeling?"

"Drowsy... sleepy..." Burt said, trying to keep his eyes open, but failing.

"Mr. Hummel?" a man in a white coat said. His name 'Dr Marcus Redding MD – Cardiology' was embroidered on the coat and matched the badge he wore around his neck.

"Yes?" Kurt answered as soon as he realized the doctor was addressing him and not his dad.

"I've given your dad a nice little cocktail to keep him comfortable. He needs to sleep as much as possible today, so we ask that you keep your visit short. You may come visit any time you like, as long as it is short. We are going to have him ready for the bypass at five tomorrow morning and the surgery is at seven. Now, I have these pamphlets for you to read, or I can tell you about it, whichever you are more comfortable with?"

"Ah...I'll read the pamphlets. I want to just stay and talk to Dad for a while before he falls asleep, if that's okay," Kurt said.

"That's fine. Here is my cell number – call me if you have any questions. I'll let you have some privacy, then I think if you came once more tonight, that wouldn't be too much. We will take good care of your dad," the doctor said and shook Kurt's hand. Carole and Blaine left to go back to the waiting room in order to give Kurt some privacy with his father.

Kurt sat with his dad, held his hand and spoke quietly to him. When he was sound asleep, Kurt kissed his cheek and walked back out to the waiting room and fell into Blaine's waiting arms. He knew he had to hold it together long enough to get home.

Carole was sitting patiently and Kurt turned to her.

"Are you...? Ah...do you? Ummmm..." he stammered, not sure how to ask this delicate question.

"Kurt, your dad was going to tell you this when you came next weekend, but I think you need to know now. I am moving in with your dad. We are in love and have talked about marriage," Carole started and suddenly Kurt could see how drawn her face was, how worried she was. He reached out a hand and took hers.

"I know. He didn't have to say anything, I can see it in his eyes when he looks at you. My dad is in love with you, Carole, and I couldn't be happier," he said. She blushed.

"Thank you, Kurt. I wish we were having this conversation under better circumstances, but I guess we aren't going to get that luxury. For now, I think I'll go in and say goodbye and then I need to get back to my house. I haven't told my son yet, and he'll be getting up soon. I have your number, how about I give you a call when I head back up here and we can come together?" she suggested.

"Okay. Thank you," he said.

"I can give you a ride to your dad's house if Blaine needs to get back to Dalton?" she offered.

"No, thank you, Carole, I'll stay with him. I don't think Kurt should be alone right now," Blaine said politely. Carole smiled warmly at him.

"I thought you would, Blaine. I was just making sure. I will see you two later then. Oh, Kurt, you are the next of kin, so they will call you in case of any changes. Could you let me know if they do?" she asked, looking shy.

"Of course I will," Kurt said, and took her hand for a moment before turning to take Blaine's hand and go home.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"I'm going to make you some lunch," Blaine said when he'd gotten Kurt in the house and sitting at the kitchen table. Kurt had located a notebook and pen and was scribbling down a quick list before setting the items down in a logical and neat order on the paper. Murphy, the small retriever, sat beside Kurt and tried to push his nose into Kurt's hand.

"I'm not hungry, but thanks, Blaine," he said, preoccupied with his lists. "Murphy, lie down. I'm sorry, old boy, but Dad isn't coming home tonight," he said absentmindedly as he scratched behind the dog's ears and went back to writing lists.

Blaine ignored this of course and made them turkey bacon, tomato, and lettuce sandwiches with a small salad and some fresh grapes. He poured them each a glass of cold apple cider and set the things on the kitchen table.

Kurt looked up from his pages and blinked. He smelled the delicious food and realized just how hungry he was.

"Thanks, Blaine. I kind of forgot about eating..." he said, taking a bite of the sandwich and smiling. Blaine reached over and squeezed his hand.

"Oh, that's wonderful," he praised Blaine, loving the sandwich and eating a few grapes. They ate mostly in silence, each busy with their own thoughts.

When they were done, Blaine cleared the table and washed the dishes as Kurt fed Murphy and made phone calls.

They met at the table again, sitting next to each other as Kurt straightened the stack of papers in front of him.

"Hank can take over at the shop. He's the assistant manager and has been there for eight years, so that isn't a problem. Dad trusts him and he's done it before. Second, Petey DeLong next door will do the yard work and his mother offered to water the lawn, so that is taken care of for now. I called the insurance company and they will pay for a visiting nurse. They assured me the hospital will set that up before they let him come home. I can do laundry, dishes, cooking, and any care the nurse doesn't," Kurt said, ticking off the items as he went down the list.

"Okay, next, I can take a leave of absence from Dalton without penalty for thirty days. I have to keep up my school work, but they will work something out with my teachers," Kurt said, looking just slightly relieved.

"I can run over a few times a week and get the assignments for us, no problem," Blaine said, folding his hands on the table and waiting for the next bulleted item from Kurt's list.

" What? ...'assignments for _**us**_'? What do you mean?" Kurt asked, looking puzzled.

"The assignments. I can go get them while you're with your dad and have them back here for us to work on in the evenings while he's asleep. It should work out fine," Blaine said, wondering what the confusion was.

"Ah...you'll be in school, Blaine. I can arrange to have them e-mailed, like an on-line class. I'm confused," Kurt admitted, looking at Blaine with his head cocked to the right. He was so cute when he did that, and Blaine usually grinned when he saw it – but there was some problem with communication here.

"I'll be _here_, Kurt. Where else would I be?"

"Oh...no, I can do this. It's my dad, I will take care of him. It was kind of you to offer, but I can do it," Kurt stated, brushing off Blaine's offer.

"Hey, wait a darned minute...I _am_ going to be here. _With you_. That's my place, Kurt. To be with you." Blaine didn't mean to be forceful, but there was no way in hell he was going to leave Kurt to face this alone. Not while he walked the earth, anyway. He put his hands on his hips and gave Kurt a determined look.

Kurt just stared for a moment, the gears turning in his head as he thought. He was so tired and his head was aching and his heart hurt for his dad. He was scared and overwhelmed and this was too much. He could not fight Blaine, too. He sat still for a few moments, just looking at Blaine, trying to form words to explain. His forehead wrinkled, his mouth tightened, and he tried to hold his breath as a last-ditch effort - - but he could not hold on one minute longer. His arms were crossed on the table and he let his head fall forward, his face hidden in his arms. His eyes burned as he tried to hold back the hot tears, but this was too much. His shoulders started to shake as he sobbed into his shirtsleeves.

"Oh, Kurt...no, honey...no...come here. Come here to me," Blaine cooed at him, pulling his shoulders back and wrapped him into a tight embrace. Kurt didn't fight him, he just let Blaine do what he wanted and went along like a rag doll.

If Blaine was upset or scared of Kurt's behavior, he didn't show it. He led Kurt down to his bedroom and sat him on the bed.

Very carefully he undressed his boyfriend, folding his clothes and setting them on the dresser, then removed his own. He led Kurt into the bathroom and sat him down at the vanity while he got a hot shower ready, leading Kurt under the water.

Blaine just let Kurt lean against him, holding the emotional boy up and washing his hair, then taking a wash cloth and soaping it. He washed Kurt's back and chest, down his arms and then his perky ass and legs. There was nothing sensual in it, and although Blaine was certainly not blind to Kurt's best assets, he had other things to think about than lusting after Kurt's body – no matter how breathtaking it was.

Kurt seemed to be in another place. He responded to directions, but he didn't speak or show any interest in Blaine's hands all over his naked skin. Blaine was just a tiny bit hurt by this, but told himself that he might be the same way if faced with the same circumstances.

Kurt was still leaning on Blaine when the light went out. They were plunged into total darkness and both jumped.

"What happened?" Kurt asked in a small voice.

"I think the bulb just went out. I heard it make that sound – you know – like it sizzzled out," Blaine said.

"Wow, way to be articulate," Kurt giggled.

Blaine stood still for a moment. Did Kurt just make a joke?

"Where do you keep your light bulbs, Kurt? I can go get one and replace the bulb."

"In the hall closet on the second floor," Kurt said, obviously trying to smother another giggle. Blaine groaned. But he was also smiling to hear the playfulness in Kurt's voice.

"Umm...I need to rinse off before I can get out of the shower, I think. I don't want the soap to dry on my skin. Can you...maybe reach my back and help me rinse the suds off?" Blaine asked, highlighting the innocence in his voice. Kurt reached to help and Blaine stepped forward, his chest touching Kurt's.

Of course since their chests touched, Blaine decided their toes should also touch and scooted them forward, an inch at a time. He moved his arms to put on Kurt's back, bringing the boy closer as every inch of his skin yearned to touch Kurt's. They stood still, as if in shock for a long moment, breath held, until both relaxed into the embrace.

Kurt had been so far into his own head when Blaine was washing him, his body had not reacted to the other boy's touch. Reaching down to cup Kurt's cock, he found it softly nestled on his balls, as though it were sleeping. It felt so different for Blaine to touch the seemingly delicate organ, so velvety in his hand, he was unexpectedly in awe of it. Common sense told him that it was not going to stay flaccid for very long when he heard Kurt gasp. Without conscious thought, Blaine was on his knees in an instant, his lips engulfing Kurt's cock as he sucked lightly to bring it all into his mouth at once while he could.

Blaine had never had a cock in his mouth before, and found this was different than anything he had imagined as he rolled his tongue gently around it. A moan began in his throat, completely unbidden, and he had to open his lips slightly to let it out. He was hyper-aware of everything around him now, his senses bringing him information that he never gave thought to before. He felt the water now getting cool and reached over to shut it off before Kurt could get chilled.

The sound of his own throat as he swallowed his saliva was too loud, he imagined it echoing off the walls of the shower and tried not to swallow – but it was impossible and the movement each time he did it made Kurt's hands buried in his curls tighten. That felt too good to stop, so he tried to swallow harder, letting the tip of Kurt's cock slide just a bit into the back of his mouth.

Kurt was stunned. He thought they might get to this stage sometime in the future and it was an act he gave a lot of thought to when alone in the shower, but this? Then he realized that he wasn't hard and he briefly panicked that he was broken – for as long as he had been aware of Blaine Anderson, his cock had been interested to the point of getting hard. Every time he saw or heard or sometimes even just thought of Blaine, his cock had given him a twitch, had started to harden, or stood proud and erect. It had never once failed to fill with blood from the first day. It was not always easy to control it, but he managed. But now - to be standing here, Blaine's mouth _filled_ with his cock and it refused to perform. Kurt was on the verge of panic, but had no idea what to do about it. Now Blaine might get the wrong idea...

Actually, Blaine wasn't thinking about that at all. He had his eyes closed, even though it was dark as midnight in a cave in the bathroom. Lack of sight had heightened all of his senses...and he could feel every inch of Kurt's cock with his tongue and lips. It was fascinating to feel as it filled with warmth, growing in his mouth as he struggled to keep it all in – but that was quickly becoming impossible as the blood rushed to the organ and it got harder by the nano-second.

Blaine was humming in ecstasy. This was the most amazing thing he had ever experienced and he was sharing it with _his_ Kurt - who was leaning against the tiles in the shower, his fingers buried in Blaine's curly hair and was reciting...what? Was that a prayer? Blaine though for a moment, but his other senses were bidding for his attention and he lost the thought.

"Ah..." Kurt moaned as his cock pushed it's way down Blaine's throat.

Blaine had to let some of it slide out of his mouth now, it was so long and thick, so warm. Blaine was amazed at the warmth, like melted chocolate maybe, as his tongue explored the ridge under the crown where Blaine knew it would feel good.

"Yes...oh, yes..." Kurt whispered, spreading his feet further apart to steady himself.

There was nothing soft or sleepy about the organ in his mouth now, and Blaine was not only running his tongue around the head, but down the underside, knowing it was a quicker pathway to Kurt's brain. He had to use his hand to steady the cock as it continued to fill and grow. The tip of his tongue entered the slit, amazed at the difference in texture as he licked and probed and felt his tongue slide under the foreskin to touch every inch of Kurt.

He was breathing through his nose, not about to open his mouth before he was done. The scent of Kurt was everywhere and Blaine wanted to rub his nose into Kurt's silky pubic hair, to rub the scent all over his face. It was not the usual strong odor of sage and bergamot of Kurt's soap, it was earthy and fresh. He tried to place it, but could only recall smelling it when he was close to Kurt. It was the scent of Kurt's neck when he woke up in the morning, a lighter version of Kurt's body when he changed his shirt after running on the track with Blaine during gym class. It was comfort and love and urgent need all rolled into a single scent – and Blaine took a deep sniff and sucked Kurt harder.

"Blaine...oh...yes, Blaine, yes..." Kurt said in a voice so low he could hardly hear it with his ears and imagined it as coming through his skin to live inside of him. If this was what they would be doing for the rest of their lives, Blaine was the luckiest boy in the world.

He continued to stimulate Kurt, sucking a bit harder, tasting and worshiping this boy as he lost conscious thought. Kurt's legs were trembling and his breath was rough as his fingers pulled Blaine's curls and his cock was so hard it was just not possible. Blaine felt Kurt's balls pull tighter to his body and cupped them with one hand, barely massaging the soft flesh and stroking just behind them with his thumb as he had learned to do to himself.

"Blaine...Blaine..." Kurt said, a certain urgency in his voice made Blaine stop for a moment to discern what Kurt was asking for. "Do you...well...I'm so close to coming, Blaine – you can finish me with your hand if..." Kurt babbled, his voice catching in his throat as he offered Blaine a way out before he came.

Blaine shook his head 'no' and redoubled his efforts to bring Kurt to the climax.

Kurt was so tense now – his muscles were stiff and Blaine was suddenly so sad he hadn't gone for that lightbulb first because he wanted to _see_ Kurt's face now, he yearned to see his body, his cock - but those thoughts were put away as he felt a subterranean quiver and Kurt was ejaculating down his throat, filling his mouth with warm seed and his ears with whispered prayers and praise.

Blaine was holding Kurt's legs tightly, not wanting to let go as he swallowed and swallowed the warmth that was still filling his mouth.

Blaine held on until Kurt was done and let out a relieved sigh, his arms around Kurt.

"Are you okay?" Kurt asked in a small voice, "I didn't choke you...?"

"No, baby...I'm fine, just fine," Blaine whispered, still in a dreamworld as he thought about what Kurt's face looked like during his release.

As he let his muscles go, Kurt wilted down into the tub beside Blaine. His arms found Blaine's waist and wrapped himself around him, unable to move for a few moments. Blaine was sitting down in the tub, gathering Kurt into his lap, one arm supporting his body and the other touching his cock very tenderly as he felt it slowly go back to its soft and small self, once again asleep in it's nest.

Kurt was clearly tired, laying his head on Blaine's shoulder and kissing his neck a few times, sighing as he tensed a back muscle and rubbed it and then relaxed into Blaine once again. Kurt was trying not to doze, but he felt himself losing the battle. He felt a new dampness on his chest and put his hand there, puzzling out if it was just the shower head dripping.

"Blaine, are you crying?" he asked, his voice worried. Blaine nodded, just a tiny bit but Kurt felt it.

"What's wrong?" he asked, "Was it something I did?"

"No. I'm just so happy, Kurt. So happy..."

"Why?"

"Because I love you. I love you so much – and because you're mine."


	22. Chapter 22 - Waiting

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Twenty-Two - Waiting**

"Your dad's surgery is all done, Mr Hummel. He came through it like a trouper, and you will be able to see him in about an hour. He's in the recovery room now," the surgeon said as he walked out of the swinging doors.

Kurt sat up straighter, Blaine's hand on his back in support.

"Thank you, Dr Redding," Kurt said politely.

"We had to do all four, but that is a good thing. Recovering from a quad bypass is similar to the triple. When we got in there, the last one also needed to be done, so we did all four. To do them all at once should take care of any problems he was having. I see no reason your dad can't eventually do all the things he enjoyed before the surgery," the doctor continued. "Except eat all those things that are so bad for him," Dr. Redding said. He and Kurt had many discussions with Burt about his diet and the doctor liked Kurt a lot.

"Will he be able to go back to work? My dad isn't one to sit around doing nothing. He would go nuts," Kurt said.

"He will have to give himself time, but he will be able to do a lot of things. We'll talk about it before he can go home," Dr Redding said, then said goodbye and left. Kurt went back to the book he was reading, resting against Blaine's body as they sat together in the small side room off of the main waiting area.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

_The night before, Blaine had helped Kurt into his bed after their shower. He was just toweling off his own hair when he heard Kurt giggling and turned to look at him, one eyebrow raised._

"_What?"_

"_Ah...about the lightbulb..." Kurt said, his hand over his mouth as he giggled again. Kurt was lying on his bed, his nakedness covered by the sheet._

"_What about it? I'll throw on some clothes and go up and get one," Blaine promised. _

"_You don't have to. There are some bulbs in that closet – but there is a package of them under the sink in my bathroom, too."_

_Blaine's eyes narrowed as Kurt pulled his knees up to his chest, squirming on the bed as he laughed. Blaine jumped on the bed, fingers digging into Kurt's ribs as he tickled him._

"_Stop! Uncle! Mercy!" Kurt squealed, trying to get away from Blaine's probing fingers. He was almost off the bed when Blaine grabbed him by the waist and pulled him back to the middle of the bed, straddling him and holding his wrists above him, pinned to the mattress. _

_Kurt stopped laughing._

_Instead, his pupils dilated and he felt the prickles of the blood in his cheeks as he blushed deeply, looking up at Blaine above him. He let out a moan. Blaine's arms wobbled for a moment as the realization of what they were doing hit him. _

_Both of them were stark naked and Blaine was now feeling the same thing he had experienced not twenty minutes before: Kurt's cock coming to life under him. He let his weight down, his belly next to Kurt's, thighs touching._

"_Blaine..." Kurt said, almost breathless as he clenched his buttocks tightly to raise his hips and get closer to this boy on top of him. He suddenly realized how selfish he had been – letting Blaine give him the best two minutes of his life and then leaving him hard and untouched. Kurt's blush deepened, but this time it was with shame. _

_His mind was frantically trying to recall what he could do in exchange for the most amazing roller-coaster ride of his life. Blaine was puzzled when he felt Kurt's muscles give and go limp, so he let go of his wrists and sat back. Had he hurt Kurt in some way? The boy looked unhappy..._

"_Blaine," was all Kurt said, sliding out from under him and reaching to turn Blaine onto his back. Blaine complied, not sure of what Kurt wanted but willing to go along with anything. He lay back on the firm mattress and waited, bracing himself for anything, even anger from the boy he loved so much._

_But Kurt didn't say anything. He got a determined look on his face, his mouth a straight line, his face full of concentration as he filed through anything in his brain that sounded right in this situation – no matter how embarrassing or strange it seemed, he would make this right._

"_Close your eyes, Blaine..." he whispered, touching Blaine's eyelids with his fingertips. _

_Blaine relaxed, his eyes closed as he shifted into a comfortable position._

"_Now, just think of a beautiful place. Maybe a deserted island with just the two of us on the white sand, sitting under a palm tree in the sea breeze. Or maybe a pine forest in the mountains, we could be playing in a mountain lake surrounded by nothing but the sounds of nature – little frogs and birds calling, a fawn drinking across the lake. A place we could be together and enjoy all the things around us," Kurt said in his story-telling voice._

"_What about a secret garden?" Blaine said, jumping into the game. He had dreamed of such a place where he was with Kurt. It was a particularly vivid dream, too._

"_It would have a wall around it and inside would be lilacs and roses, and an old wooden swing where we could sit together and just rock back and forth as we read to each other? Maybe we could have some spot where we could hide from the world – a summer house in the deep woods where we could watch mommy birds build nests and we could hunt for mushrooms?"_

"_I think any of those could be wonderful, Blaine. I think we could be happy even if we were alone in the crowds of New York – getting lost on the meandering paths in Central Park, walking hand in hand while we try to find some little eclectic shop in one of the neighborhoods," Kurt said, his eyes dreamy as he imagined being anywhere with Blaine._

"_So, why did you choose those specific things? Blaine asked, shifting over to let Kurt lie down beside him._

"_I...well, it's silly really," Kurt said, not wanting to elaborate on his purpose. It sounded crazy, even to his ears._

"_Kurt, you know I won't laugh at you. Those things are so specific and detailed that it makes me wonder. . . but, then, maybe you just have an amazing imagination?"_

"_Hmmmm..." Kurt thought. "Well, that's maybe part of it – but, no it isn't just imagination. It's also dreams. Since I met you, Blaine, I have had all of those dreams. It's funny how vivid they are. I never used to remember my dreams, but now I could recite the dialogue, describe every touch..."_

"_Touch? I touched you in these dreams?" Blaine asked, his eyes studying Kurt's face, listening intently to every word. _

_Kurt blushed. He had forgotten for a moment the silent promise he made to Blaine in his heart. He wanted to make Blaine feel as good as Blaine had made him feel. Maybe he could use one of the dreams now. He closed his eyes, gathered his courage, and reached to shut out the light._

_In the darkness, Kurt felt better – stronger, more stable, less afraid. He snuggled closer to Blaine, feeling his body heat before he even touched their skin together. _

_Feeling along Blaine's side, he found his hip and ran a finger down the outside of Blaine's leg, down to his knee and then placed his palm on the center of his thigh and ran it back up until he was touching Blaine's testicles. Blaine flinched and Kurt let go, moving over to kiss his lips for a while before trying to touch him again. Once more his hand made the trip down the outside of his leg and back up to cup his balls, not letting himself do more than barely brush against them this time. Blaine sighed._

_It was just that tiny sigh that made Kurt decide to go for it. He didn't waste time on light kisses down Blaine's chest or tickling little touches...no, Kurt aimed at what he wanted and landed his cheek gently on Blaine's belly. He didn't leave it there for long, groping with his lips in the dark room until he found the tip of Blaine's hard erection and sucked it in hard. His mouth was watering and so were his eyes as he chanted the mantra to himself: "Don't bite, don't bite". This was so new, he wasn't sure how to do it without scraping Blaine with his teeth– and he didn't want to do that – so he slowed down._

_There...that was much better. He was building the heat now, his mouth busy and his tongue curious. Kurt's hand was still cupped around Blaine's balls, gently stroking them. Concentrating, he felt every bit of Blaine's cock, moving in and out of his mouth like a piston in an engine. Kurt was prepared to keep this up for a while, he loved the noises Blaine was making. It was as if the moans were caressing him, bringing him along with Blaine as he moved his head up and down._

"_Kurt...lick around the front, just a little farther...yes...now suck...yes...yessssssssssss," Blaine moaned, stretching his calves when they threatened to cramp as Kurt hit the exact place Blaine needed. Kurt pushed deeper, letting the tip go as far down his throat as he could and then suddenly his mouth was filling with warm liquid and he was choking. Blaine was groaning loudly, his hands wrapped in the sheet as he shut his eyes, his body pulsing as he shook through the end of his climax. _

_They held each other for a minute, catching their collective breath and Kurt got up slowly, pulling the sheet back over Blaine._

_He hurried to the bathroom, shutting the door and then cursing as he remembered the light was burned out. He walked over to the sink, feeling the edge and leaning over and spit out the warm salty liquid that filled his mouth. He turned on the sink, letting the cool water fill his cupped hand and filling it over and over, rinsing his mouth, spitting the water into the sink. _

_He felt along the edge of the counter and found the basket with folded wash cloths in it. He took one out, ran it under warm water and wrung it out, using it to wipe himself clean. _

_He wasn't sure whether to feel more shame that he couldn't hold it when Blaine shouted his name and moaned into his orgasm or that he could not force himself to swallow. It wasn't that he felt a repulsion to the semen. It didn't have much taste, just salty and a tiny bit bitter – but he could not force his throat to open._

_This was the worst feeling. He loved Blaine. He thought Blaine was sexy and gorgeous and intelligent and fashionable and a million other things. He could not find a fault in him at all. Kurt had been a little shy about having intimacy with another boy, no matter how much his raging teen hormones interfered with his sense of propriety, but with Blaine it was what he thought about all the time. Kissing, hugging, touching, and even fucking. He wanted Blaine. So, why couldn't he swallow? And more than that – did Blaine know?_

_He wasn't going to find out standing in here. He got another washcloth, rinsed and wrung it out and walked back into the bedroom._

"_Hey, Lover Boy," Blaine said, his voice sounding sleepy._

"_Hi. I brought you a warm washcloth. Here..." Kurt said, first washing Blaine's face. He smoothed the cloth over his forehead, down his neck and then washed his stomach and lower. He laughed when Blaine did as he washed his cock, feeling the softness as he held it in his hand, knowing what Blaine had felt earlier. And knowing how much he was falling in love with Blaine Anderson._

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"It shouldn't be much longer," Carole said, walking into the small side room off of the main waiting room. They had sort of set up camp there, bringing in salads for lunch and finding ways to spend the time as they waited for Burt's surgeon to give them word.

Kurt sat back down on the sofa and slid off his boat shoes before curling his legs up beside him. Blaine sat on the other side, his Italian leather loafers next to Kurt's shoes. He sat back, pulling Kurt into his embrace and putting his chin over Kurt's shoulder.

"Do you want to read some more while we wait?" Blaine asked.

"Sure," Kurt replied, sounding distracted. He took their book off of the side table and found the bookmark. Opening to the page they had last read, he cleared his voice and started reading from The Fault In Our Stars:

**" 'Why are you looking at me like that?' Hazel asked.**

**Augustus half smiled. 'Because you're beautiful. **

**I enjoy looking at beautiful people, and I decided a while **

**ago not to deny myself the simpler **

**pleasures of existence.' A brief awkward silence ensued."**

"I know how Gus felt," Kurt whispered into Blaine's ear, smiling. Blaine moved his arms just a bit to get a better hold on Kurt and settled down into the soft cushions.

Around an hour later, the CNA came to get Kurt.

"You can come with me to see your father now, Mr Hummel," she said.

"Thank you. Just me or can his girlfriend come, too?" Kurt asked and the woman frowned a bit.

"I am so sorry, but one at a time," she said. "Your dad is not strong enough for two but I'll be back in a little while and you can come see him when Mr Hummel here is done," the CNA said, addressing Carole. The uniformed woman didn't look happy and Kurt imagined it was hard to deny people access when their loved ones were in the recovery room.

"Dad?" Kurt said in a stage whisper.

Burt blinked his eyes and tried to focus on Kurt. He couldn't, but moved his hand to hold Kurt's. They just shared the quiet together, Kurt keeping calm as he saw the twinkle in his father's eye was still there.

"Don't try to talk," Kurt said when he realized that Burt was opening his mouth and no sound came out. Kurt patted his hand. He stayed a little while longer, then asked one of the nurses to get Carole. He wanted her to see his dad before he was back asleep. Waiting by the bed, holding his dad's hand, he told his dad how much he loved him and that he would be back in the morning. He placed a kiss on his dad's forehead and left.

Carole patted his arm as they passed in the hall, telling him she would see him in the morning again. Kurt hugged her and walked back down the hall to Blaine's waiting arms.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Dad is coming home later today," Kurt said, holding the phone close to his ear. He had called Blaine, who was at Dalton picking up their homework.

"Oh, I'm so glad. I know he's going to be feeling great to be out of that hospital," Blaine said.

"What's all that noise in the background?" Kurt asked, trying to hear Blaine above it.

"I think it's a food fight? I'm outside the dining hall and whatever the shouting is about, it's coming from there. I was looking for Wes or Jeff or someone to ask about what's up with the Warblers this week."

"Oh...I thought maybe you were at a party," Kurt joked.

"No. Just finished picking up all the paperwork and things and then I'll check in with one of the guys about what songs we're working on and . . . oh, I had a message to talk to Headmaster Ethridge. Then I'll be on my way. Can I stop and get groceries or something before I get there?"

"No. I made minestrone soup and there is some pita bread and hummus...I think that should be enough for supper. Dad's appetite isn't very good so I'm trying to make things that don't have to have much salt. Oh, maybe you could stop at one of the farmer's markets and get some fresh fruit if you see any?" Kurt suggested.

"No problem. I'll see you in a few hours," Blaine said. "And, Kurt? You know I am so proud of all you've done for your dad. You are the best son a father could ever ask for and I know he appreciates you."

"Oh...thank you, Blaine...thank you," Kurt said softly. He tried so hard and it was balm to his sore heart to know someone recognized how hard he was trying.

Blaine put his phone in his pocket and walked into the dining hall, dodging a dinner roll as it came flying across the room at him.

"Blainers!" he heard from Trent across the room. Suddenly he was surrounded by the group, all reaching out to pat his shoulder or to ask how Kurt and Mr Hummel were doing. Blaine sat down and the boys quieted down as Blaine told them about the surgery and how each of them was coping. He got a lot of support, all of them wanting to help their fellow choir members in some way. After a bit more conversation, Blaine got up to go. He had to see the headmaster before he could get back to Lima and Kurt. Every one of the Warblers hugged him and sent their best wishes to Kurt and Mr Hummel.

"The headmaster will see you now," the secretary said, smiling at Blaine. She thought he was such a nice looking boy with polite manners and couldn't imagine why he had been called into the head's office, but it wasn't really her concern.

Blaine walked in after tapping on the door.

"Good afternoon, Headmaster Ethridge, how are you today?" Blaine asked.

"I'm fine, Mr Anderson. I trust you are the same."

Blaine nodded.

"A matter has been brought before my desk and although it may be the area of your advisor to talk this over with you, I felt it was something of grave importance and decided to speak to you myself," he said, taking up a pencil and tapping it on his desk.

"Is something wrong? Is it my family?" Blaine asked, feeling a bit more anxious.

"No, nothing like that. Well, not directly. It's about your leave of absence. I understand you are helping Kurt Hummel because of his father's heart surgery. The problem that has been brought to my attention is that there was no parental permission for this. I have tried to contact your parents, but was unable to do so. I have also attempted to contact your brother as he has legal guardianship over you, but I am still awaiting a return call.

"This has tied my hands. Now, most of the boys here are under the guardianship of the school, and I acted on that assumption. For now, I'm very sorry to tell you that you need to stay here in class until I can get this straightened out, Blaine," the man said, "And if there is something I can do to help Kurt Hummel, you can come speak to me. I will try to get this expedited and you can join Kurt in Lima."

"Thank you, Headmaster," Blaine said, twisting his fingers in agitation. Now how could he help Kurt? "Does that include the weekends?"

"No. I have a letter from your brother stipulating that you may accompany Kurt Hummel to his house in Lima from Friday after classes to Monday morning. It does not, however, include the days when class is in session. I'm sorry," he told the student. The boy nodded.

Blaine got up, shook hands with the school administrator, and left. He sighed. Well, he'd drive over to Kurt's and deliver the paperwork, then be back Monday morning for classes. He'd try to contact Cooper in the mean time.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Kurt heard the front door open and got up from the sofa in the family room. His dad had just been able to fall asleep and he didn't want anyone disturbing him. Just as he turned the corner to the hallway, Blaine caught him up in his arms.

"Kurt..." Blaine sighed into his boyfriend's neck, so glad to have him in his arms again.

"Oh, Blaine. I'm so happy to see you," Kurt said.

"How's your dad? Did he get settled in?" Blaine asked and they talked about Burt for a while.

Blaine followed Kurt into the kitchen, their voices quiet so as not to wake Burt.

"He's in on his recliner – fell asleep watching a soccer game. I think he's doing better now that he's in his own home again," Kurt said, a small smile playing across his face at the thought.

"I'm glad to hear that. I bet you being here might have a bit to do with that," Blaine said as he opened the bags and removed some peaches and two small pints baskets of blackberries. "Here, I thought these would go well together."

Kurt grinned. He loved fresh peaches. Taking one, he took a big bite out of it, the juice dripping down his chin. When he took the second bite, Blaine could not stop himself – he leaned forward, licking the juice trail up to Kurt's lips and kissed him. He kissed him deep, tasting the peach and growling as he grabbed Kurt's shoulders and pulled him close.

"You're delicious," Blaine whispered in Kurt's ear, moving his kisses to run down his neck and across the collarbone that wasn't covered by Kurt's boatneck shirt.

Kurt put his head back, delighting in the shivers that made goose-flesh on his arm as his laugh tinkled like a bell.

"I think I'll just have _you_ for dessert, okay?" Blaine whispered again. Kurt felt the heat in his belly as his skinny jeans got a bit tighter.

"I need to get supper on the table, but I'll entertain your request afterwards," Kurt said and came close, kissing Blaine's neck and nibbling his jaw until he was poised to strike – and stuck his very wet tongue in Blaine's ear.

"EEEEeeeeeppppppppppp!" Blaine squeaked, jumping back and staring at Kurt with malice.

"Kurt," he squealed, "That was unfair...Ick!"

"Oh, Blaine...that wasn't what you wanted?" Kurt teased, giggling as he walked around the kitchen island to turn the fire under the soup lower. He didn't want scorched soup.

Blaine came up in back of him and put his hands on Kurt's shoulders, turning him around. He hugged him close and got on his toes to reach Kurt's ear.

"Babe, if I wanted you to stick something hot, wet, and hard inside me, my ear would not be my first choice," he said in a low, sexy voice. Then kissed Kurt with a passion and turned to walk back into the family room to check on Burt before setting the table. Kurt stood in front of the stove, his mouth still gaping open.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Supper was quiet but good. Carole and Finn had come and Burt felt good enough to sit at the table to eat. After spending most of the day dozing in his recliner, he was happy to have the company and conversation.

"So, you'll be on this leave of absence thing until the end of next week, right?" Burt asked.

"Yes. All of our teachers agreed to let us do the work at home. I do have to be there for a test next Thursday, but other than that I can be here with you," Kurt smiled at his dad, overjoyed to have him home once again.

"The visiting nurse will be here tomorrow and you two can make whatever schedule you want – but I don't want your grades to drop. Okay?" Burt said, looking between the two boys.

"No, it didn't last time I stayed home to take care of you, Dad. It won't this time."

"Well, you weren't going to Dalton last time, but I believe in you. Just let someone know if you feel you're starting to lose your grip. I don't want my health to be the cause for you slipping in your grades, son."

Kurt gave his dad a supportive smile and reached out and squeezed his hand.

Kurt told his dad all the things he had done to ensure everything went smoothly from Hank taking over the management of the shop to his latest trip to the grocery store. Burt mostly just nodded his head. He knew Kurt needed to get it out, so he listened.

The talk went into Carole's move to the Hummel house and Kurt had a side conversation with Finn about making the old guest room into his bedroom.

By the end of supper, they were all quiet. Carole offered to take Burt up to bed and Finn helped Blaine clear the table. They got the kitchen put away in record time, Finn left to go hang out with his friends and Kurt and Blaine went down to Kurt's bedroom.

Sitting on the bed, Kurt looked in Blaine's eyes. He had wanted to lose himself in Blaine all day and it had been hard to keep those emotions at bay. He was so happy that they were together in the same room once again.

"Kurt, I need to talk to you about something," Blaine said. He had dreaded this discussion all day, but knew he couldn't put it off any longer. He had to be back at Dalton Monday morning, so they only had tonight, Saturday, and Sunday morning. Blaine was leaving Sunday afternoon.

"What's up? You look so serious, Blaine. Is there something wrong?"

"Well, yes. It's complicated. You know I told you I had to talk to the headmaster? He told me that since my parents gave guardianship papers to Cooper instead of the school itself, that they can't let me stay here during the week. They couldn't contact my folks or Coop – which means I have to leave Sunday evening for Dalton. I am so sorry...he was sorry, too, but what can we do?" Blaine said, cringing inside wondering just how angry Kurt was going to get.

"Oh. Well, I guess there is nothing to do for it. Wait, where's Coop?" Kurt asked.

"I called a friend of his and Frank told me Coop and a few other students are on a field trip of sorts to Belize for a week to look at how they set up field clinics. That's the gist of it anyway. He's not in a place I can reach him right now but Headmaster Ethridge said he would keep trying. In the mean time, he said I had to stay at Dalton during the week. I understand, but I don't like it. At all," Blaine hung his head.

"Maybe not, but it's what we have to do. You can't have a police record or anything because you ran away, Blaine. Don't worry, I'll be fine," Kurt tried to reassure him.

"I know...but I promised I would help and I'm not going to be much help if I'm 70 miles away from you," Blaine said with clenched teeth.

Kurt rubbed his shoulder and then snuggled closer.

"I'll be fine. Here," Kurt said, standing up to reach down a stuffed animal from his shelf. He handed Blaine Jester Cat, knowing it was a small thing, but heartfelt. Jester Cat was the toy Blaine won for him at Dalton Days.

"I can't take this from you, Kurt, you sleep with it!"

"Yes, you can. Just pretend you're sleeping with me," Kurt joked, smiling at his boyfriend.

"I'm going to worry about you, Kurt. Message me twenty times an hour and don't forget to study. We can study together over Skype maybe?" Blaine suggested. He was going to hate being so far away.

"Let's just go to bed and cuddle, okay?" Blaine asked. He was getting so upset, he thought close contact would help him to feel good. Blaine slid off his shoes and curled up next to Kurt, touching his skin wherever he could.

"I'm so worn out now I think I just need to get some sleep. I think everything will look better in the morning. Maybe we can figure something out," Blaine said, trying for casual reassurance but coming out with sad loser.

"I'm glad I have you, Blaine. You mean the world to me," Kurt said. They held each other tight, turned off the light and fell asleep. Tomorrow would be another day and who knew – Headmaster might be able to find Blaine's parents or Cooper and get permission. Some days the rules seemed to choke Headmaster Ethridge, but he was trying.

Blaine had been upset all day about having to return to Lima with the bad news, but being this close to Kurt made him forget the sting of it. At least for tonight.


	23. Chapter 23 - Dreams

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Twenty Three – Dreams**

_Kurt was trying to open an old oak door. It was set in a stone wall in the warm summer sun and a big red dog was frisking around him, jumping in excitement as he tried the key one more time. The ornate key in his hand was not easy to manipulate in the ancient lock. Then it clicked and the door fell open. In front of him was a fairyland. It was something out of a story, maybe, the pastel colors of thousands of flowers blending into a faded blur as tears formed in his eyes. All he could smell were flowers, and lilacs were the heaviest scent among them. Their scent was practically visible, tangible. He turned to get his bearings and a warm hand came to take his, leading him into the garden..._

Kurt jerked awake, hearing his father's voice calling to him. He sat up, wiped the sleep from his eyes and was on his feet, searching for his slippers and robe.

"I'm coming, Dad!" he called up the stairs and hurried to get to his father's side.

"Kurt, I'm so sorry to have to wake you, but the alarm was going off and you told me how important taking my medication on time was," Burt said, sad he had to disturb his son when he looked so tired.

"No problem at all, Dad. That's what I'm here for. I guess I forgot to set my alarm last night. It's a good thing you set yours." Kurt smiled at his father, thankful he was here still and not gone with the other people he loved. He had to admit that his father's brush with death had him thinking about his mother more and more often.

"I'm going to go get breakfast started and then I'll be back to help you get dressed, okay?" Kurt asked, straightening a wrinkle in his dad's blanket and patting him on the shoulder before leaving the room. He walked towards the kitchen to make egg-white omelets and toast with cantaloupe.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Hi beautiful," Kurt's voice came through the phone when Blaine answered it at lunch.

"Oh, well hello yourself, gorgeous. How is your day?" Blaine answered. He grinned to hear Kurt sounding so chipper today.

"I'm fine. Dad is doing well, he ate a good lunch and only complained about the lack of salt a few dozen times. I think he's getting used to it," Kurt laughed.

"Ah, good to hear. I'm on my way back to the dorm to study for Thursday's test. Can I do anything to help you?" Blaine asked, knowing that being 70 miles away was just the worst. He wanted to be with Kurt.

"No. I have a term paper I was going to start. It isn't due for a few more weeks, but it will give me something to do. Call me later?" Kurt asked. He didn't want to sound as needy as he was, but he missed Blaine.

"I will, I promise. Keep your chin up, Kurt. We'll see each other by the weekend. I'm leaving Friday afternoon as soon as class is done and I'll be there with you," he said, closing his eyes briefly to stop any tears from forming.

"Okay, I look forward to that," Kurt said. "Bye for now..."

"Bye."

Blaine walked slowly back to the dorm room, wanting nothing more than to jump in his car and race to Lima and Kurt's arms. But that was not to be. So he changed his clothes and lay down on his bed to study. It wasn't very long before he was sound asleep, his cheek pressed to the open history book on the bed.

_Blaine was walking along a path in the woods, seeing a sort of glow if front of him. He didn't know where he was, but it seemed familiar and new at the same time. He could hear singing. Picking up the pace, he began to run to the place in the clearing – clouds and wet branches sprang out of his way as he raced to the sound of the voice._

_Kurt was sitting by the water, his feet dangling in the stream as he sang out the beautiful song. He didn't turn to look at Blaine, but Blaine knew he was aware of his presence. Kurt's skin was golden – shining and sparkling in the sun. His blue eyes were so dark they looked almost black and stood out with his long eyelashes surrounding them as he cast his gaze on Blaine, his rosy lips still singing that song. The song wrapped itself around Blaine, pulling him closer and closer to Kurt...so close they were almost one. Blaine had never felt such comfort, such pure love surrounding him, entering his very essence, as he tried to think of a way to make Kurt feel the same thing. _

_He was trying to speak, but his mouth wouldn't work. He made a funny sort of humming noise and Kurt got up and came to him, stroking his fingers down Blaine's cheek to catch a tear that Blaine didn't know was there. He looked up, his honey-brown eyes staring at Kurt's blue ones and then the world shook. The earthquake made everything fly all around Blaine as he grabbed for some sort of hold so he wouldn't fall off into space..._

Blaine blinked his eyes open, looking around him in wonder as he saw that he was in his bed and there was no earthquake...just his phone ringing beside him. He heaved a sigh and picked it up, his fingers tingling still.

"H...hello?" Blaine breathed into the phone, still trying to get his head on straight. He was dizzy and slightly sick to his stomach.

"Blaine?"

"Kurt!"

"Blaine, are you okay?" Kurt asked.

"Ah...yeah, I think so. I was asleep I think. I must have dozed off studying," he said, shaking his head a bit. "Why do you ask? Is everything okay with you?"

"I think so. I was reading the section for next week's French class and I fell asleep, but then I had a dream and it...I guess it shook me up. I just had the feeling I had to talk to you, Blaine, it was that urgent."

"Oh...I was dreaming, too. You were singing, but it wasn't words to a song, it was...I don't know. Feelings? Then there was an earthquake and I was falling..." Blaine tried to explain, but he knew no words would ever give Kurt the real feeling of that dream, so he gave up.

"Oh. I'm sorry...were you scared?" Kurt asked, his voice weak and soft.

"Yeah, I kind of was. It made no sense, and it all happened so fast," Blaine said.

"Blaine? What would you say if I told you I needed you. I mean, I'm okay, and Carole is here with Dad, but I feel so lost without you," he said, his voice barely there.

"I'd say I'm on my way. I don't care what the Headmaster says or anyone else, Kurt. If you need me, I'm going to be there. Give me a few minutes and I'll be on my way," Blaine said, his mind made up.

"Blaine? I'm going to drive to you and we can meet in the middle. You know the place we stopped at Indian Lake the first time I took you to Lima? I'll meet you at the parking lot by the picnic area. I'm leaving now," he said, his voice a bit stronger now.

"Are you sure? If you aren't feeling well, I can come to you," Blaine offered.

"No, meeting there will take less time. I'll see you there," Kurt said and hung up the phone. Blaine got up off his bed and put together a quick overnight case, dumping in things he would need for a few days if Kurt needed him. He flung it over his shoulder and was on his way to his car in under fifteen minutes. He set his GPS and slid it into the brace on his dashboard and started off to meet Kurt.

The roadside picnic area had one light, showing the way to the entrance of the parking lot. Blaine swung his car into the parking area and saw Kurt's Navigator parked under a tree near the pathway. Kurt wasn't in it. Blaine parked next to the vehicle and got out, looking in the window to make sure it was Kurt's. Yes, there was the little crystal music note hanging from the rear-view mirror that Blaine had given Kurt a few weeks ago. They had been looking in shops downtown one day and Kurt had spied the pretty blue charm. It reminded Blaine of his eyes and he bought it on a whim, hanging it in the Navigator the next day from a piece of fishing line. It twisted and spun, making rainbows all over the inside of the car when Kurt was driving and it made him smile.

Blaine was looking over at the dim view of the darkened picnic tables when he felt warm hands grasp his hips, and then Kurt was pasted to his back. He leaned back to get closer, then turned and slid his arms around his boyfriend.

"Oh, my god, I missed you," Blaine said, his lips close to Kurt's warm neck as he snuggled closer. He caught the scent of Kurt's sage and carnation soap, the sweet odor of his herbal tea, and his muscles loosened as he fell into Kurt's embrace. He hadn't even realized how tightly strung his body had been until it relaxed.

"Hey, what's this? Tears?" Kurt asked, pulling back to look into Blaine's eyes.

"No...well, just tears of relief I guess," Blaine said, suddenly embarrassed at his childish reaction.

"I felt the same way..." Kurt muttered.

"I don't know what is wrong with me," Blaine said. "I keep having these dreams, these impossible, strange, scary dreams. I hate it – all I can do is think about you, Kurt. Then I fall asleep and the dreams come..."

"I've been having them, too."

Kurt stepped back, taking Blaine's hand in his and leading him to the back of the Navigator. He unlocked the tailgate and took out two rolled-up sleeping bags and led the way under the trees. The two boys set the sleeping bags out, laying on top of one with the other pulled over them like a blanket. No words were exchanged, they just seemed to know what to do and did it.

Snuggled together, Kurt pulled Blaine's chin up so he could look into his honey-brown eyes in the moonlight. They were so clear, so bright as they caught the light from the moon.

"How long have you been having the dreams?" Kurt asked.

"Since we met. They started out just little ones...I'd see you in the distance, maybe overhear you talking or something. As we got closer, the dreams got bigger," Blaine said. He didn't want to tell Kurt all of the scary things in them, but he had to find out if they were the same ones Kurt was having.

"I only have them when we're apart," Kurt said. "The one this afternoon was the worst. I could hear you calling to me, but when I would turn a corner, you were gone again. I was so confused...then there was this huge bird attacking me," Kurt took a big breath. "It made no sense, but I knew I needed you. I called you when I woke up."

"I'm glad you did. I missed being with you," Blaine confessed. He hated to ask the next question, but he had to know the answer. "How long before you can come back to Dalton?"

Kurt thought about it. He wanted to come back right away, but he also felt the obligation to be with his father.

"It's okay, Kurt. I know your father needs you. I'm sorry I asked...you need to be with him as long as you can. I didn't mean to put pressure on you." Blaine turned over, his back to Kurt. He felt sad that he had even mentioned Kurt coming back, he knew that was just selfish.

"I don't know what to say, Blaine. My dad has been my whole world for so long, I can't just abandon him. What kind of person would I be if I put my wishes above my obligations?" Kurt asked.

That made Blaine feel even worse and he wished he had stayed in Westerville. Kurt reached over and put a hand on Blaine's shoulder, but the curly-haired boy shrugged it off. He got up and brushed the dust from his jeans.

"I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Where are you going?" Kurt asked, but Blaine was already gone. He walked quickly into the trees, not paying attention to where he was headed.

Kurt sat for a moment, stunned. What the hell? He came all this way, left his dad for the night – well, Carole and Finn were there, but he did leave. Now Blaine was off in a fit of temper because he, Kurt, had put obligations to his family above his love life. He was irritated: a little at himself, more at Blaine.

Why did Blaine leave, though? Kurt asked himself. Maybe Kurt had been a little short with him? Well, sitting and waiting for Blaine to return was getting him nowhere. The best thing to do would be to talk it out. Going on assumptions wasn't the best option in any case.

Kurt decided to go look for him.

"Blaine?" Kurt called. It had been twenty minutes since Blaine had left. At first Kurt thought he was going to the restrooms, but when he didn't return Kurt decided to follow him. He walked back to the parking lot, but it was empty of everything but the two vehicles.

Back at the sleeping bags, Kurt was at a loss. He didn't know if he had said something to make Blaine angry or if the boy was lost. He decided to call out to him as he walked in a circle around the clearing and then down the path. He hoped Blaine had kept to the path.

In a hollow under a tree, Blaine was sitting, fuming at himself. He had walked just to get his head straight before he went back to clear up this misunderstanding with Kurt, but he had somehow left the path and was wandering in the dark forest, the moon unable to shine in the dense foliage. After an hour he was sleepy and stumbling. Morning would bring light and he could find his way back to the path and to Kurt. He curled up next to a large oak tree to think before starting out again. He began to think about the dream he had the night before.

"_I think I saw him go down the alley," the woman said. Blaine didn't know who she was, but somehow he knew she was talking about Kurt. "Better look out for him, this is a mean city."_

_Blaine rushed down the street and then heard a crack. It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a watermelon. He rushed to the alley entrance and saw a collapsed body, the blood seeping out of his head and onto the pavement, seeping into his socks as he knelt beside the body. It was Kurt, but it wasn't Kurt. This man was older than Kurt, maybe in his mid-thirties. But he had Kurt's face. It was ashen, the lips blue, but the blood was still running so he must still be alive._

"Blaine! Blaine! Where are you? Don't be angry with me, come back and talk, please!" Kurt pleaded into the night sky. He was very worried about his boyfriend. He didn't think Blaine would hide from him, so he must be lost or hurt. Kurt hurried down the path, calling at intervals as he searched. They had set their cell phones down next to the sleeping bag and Blaine forgot to take his with him when he walked away. It was getting on to morning and Kurt sighed in relief. Pretty soon the sun would make it easier to find Blaine.

"_Blaine!" Kurt's voice came echoing into his head, but how could it when Kurt was lying in this alley, beaten half to death? Blaine tried to pick him up, but he was limp and heavy. Blaine called out for someone to call an ambulance. He heard the sirens in the distance, but they never came closer._

"Blaine!" Kurt called, his voice getting weak from shouting so much. He thought he heard a sound and stopped, alert to anything. There it was, someone sobbing. He followed his ears, stumbling through the foliage until he saw him – Blaine. Sitting under a tree. Kurt rushed to him, skidding the last few feet as he fell down next to him.

Blaine startled, his fingernails cutting into his hands where he held them too tightly. He blinked and saw Kurt in front of him, a sad look on his face.

"Kurt...you're okay?" he asked, touching his cheek to be sure he was really there.

"Yeah...you are the one who got lost, I'm fine," Kurt said.

"It was...oh. It was just a dream again, one I had last night. I was thinking about it – it was just so real. Can I hold you?" Blaine begged, turning to grasp Kurt's sleeve and pull him closer.

"Of course. Tell me about the dream. You look so scared, Blaine. Was it that bad?"

"Yeah, it was. We were in a big city – New York maybe. I was following you and I found you bleeding in an alley. I called an ambulance, but it never came. Then I heard you calling. That must be when you found me because I woke up."

"Oh...I'm sorry. But it was just a dream. It's all over now, let's walk back to the campsite and get warm?" Kurt suggested.

Blaine got up and took Kurt's hand. He was still feeling the pain and fear from the dream, but he walked on beside Kurt. This was too strange for words. He wanted to talk to Cooper. He _really_ wanted to talk to Andy, but that was impossible.

Back at the campsite, they once again lay down on the sleeping bags.

"I had that same dream," Kurt said in a small voice.

Blaine looked over at Kurt.

"You did? Was it me in the alley?" Blaine asked.

"No. It was me, I was chased by a gang of men, they hit me and then after a while you came. I was in the hospital...it hurt so much, then you said you were never leaving Westerville again. I felt guilty that it was my fault, but so happy that we weren't going away. I didn't know two people could have the same dream," Kurt said. That didn't make any sense at all.

"Kurt, I think there is something going on – so many times I dream and it is like I'm remembering, not dreaming. It is all so strange..."

"I was thinking the same thing. And it isn't just the bad dreams, either. I have had the ones you and I talked about, too. The one in the woods hunting mushrooms, the one in the walled garden...they have been my dreams, too. What do you think it is?" Kurt asked.

"I don't know. Kurt, is it possible that we are more than just boyfriends who met at the school? I am beginning to wonder if it is more. Like we knew each other before?" Blaine asked.

Kurt's eyes got wide as he looked at Blaine. That was exactly what he had been thinking.

"But...how?" Kurt asked. Blaine closed his eyes and shook his head.

"I have no idea," he said. "Maybe it has something to do with my uncle? I mean – I only got to know him for a short time, when I stayed with him that summer. He and Uncle Buddy were my idols practically – they were so happy together and I couldn't help but feel that I wanted to have that kind of life. To be so in love with the man in my life, to be able to lean on him, share with him, love him...it occupied my whole world for the next few years. Then I was back at a boarding school, this time in Italy, and I was busy with music and school and singing...I kind of let the dream go.

"It wasn't until I met you at Dalton that I thought about my dreams of being with the love of my life. Kurt, I know we've only known each other for a few months, but I feel like I've always known you. These dreams we're having – I don't know what they mean, but it must mean something?" Blaine said, his eyes looking into Kurt's, searching for something.

"I agree. Ever since I met you, Blaine, I've felt like we were always together, like we knew each other. I sometimes slip and almost call you by your uncle's name – you remind me of Andy so much. Well, I guess that is not so strange, you are related – but it is more than that. I don't understand the dreams, either...but I don't think I want them to go away all together," Kurt admitted.

"Kurt, I know this maybe isn't the time, but...I just want you to know that I'm in love with you."

Kurt sat still on the sleeping bag, hadn't they said they loved each other before? Or was it so natural that he had taken it for granted that they did say it? His eyes locked on Blaine's. He felt a warmth glowing from his heart and quickly filling him with joy. He leaned forward, catching Blaine's hands in his own.

"I'm in love with you, too, Blaine."


	24. Chapter 24 - Limbo

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Twenty-Four - Limbo**

"_I'm in love with you, too, Blaine."_

Kurt sat quietly as Blaine appeared to be catching up to what had just been said. He blinked, looking somehow surprised that Kurt had the same feelings for him. This was big, so big. It was suddenly the only right thing in his world – that Kurt loved him. It was right and it was wonderful and Blaine pulled Kurt close and kissed him so gently and softly that Kurt was whining for more.

"Oh...god, Kurt. You love me? You _love_ me!" Blaine said again, as if it was too good to believe.

"Yes, Blaine. I do. I love you so much – surely you knew that? I've said it before..." Kurt told him, looking shyly at Blaine, who nodded. He had, it had just never struck him like it did now.

"I have to have you near me all the time and when you're not, I don't know what to do with myself. I pout and act moody and everyone notices...I just don't feel in control of myself anymore. It's a bit crazy," Kurt admitted, kissing the warm place under Blaine's jaw.

"I must be a bit crazy, too, because I could say the same of myself," Blaine said, his face sincere. "I know we were on the same wavelength before, I mean we were both aware of the attraction? But it feels so good to tell you, Kurt, that you are all I think about, too."

The two grew quiet, not sure what would come next. Neither boy had dated before so having a relationship was new. The admission of love had been there, just not stated in so many words. They were holding hands, just looking into each other's eyes.

"Blaine? I think it's still a few hours until dawn, do you want to just – maybe just cuddle here together?" Kurt asked.

"I'd like that," Blaine said, settling down in the sleeping bag and holding Kurt in his arms.

They lay together, listening to the forest around them, migrating closer to each other. Kurt laid his head on Blaine's shoulder and closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of his boyfriend's skin as his body heat made its way into the nest they had made for themselves between the sleeping bags.

"Kurt?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think we're too young for this? I mean – to say we'll be together - forever?" Blaine asked.

"What makes you say that? Are you not sure now that I'm the love of your life?"

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that. Yes, you are the love of my life. I meant – I want to have us together forever. I want you, Kurt, for always, but I don't want to stop you from growing and learning and experiencing things. Do you think we should – I don't know, hold back a bit until we've known each other longer?" Blaine asked. He didn't want to, he wanted Kurt forever, but he felt he had to give him the choice.

"Hold what back? Do you _want_ me to date other guys?" Kurt asked, his face a mirror of his dismay.

"No. I don't _want_ you to, I'm asking if you _have_ to in order to make sure you feel as if you've experienced life. At least enough of it to know I'm the one. I don't want you to wake up one day and find you let life pass you by, and I'm to blame," Blaine said.

"Blaine, I don't want to date anyone else. I don't want to live with anyone else. I don't want to love anyone the way I love you," Kurt said, his eyes finding Blaine's in the moonlight once more.

Blaine heaved a sigh. It was what he wanted to hear, but he hoped with all of his being that he wasn't making a mistake.

"Okay."

They cuddled closer, Kurt burying his nose under Blaine's jaw, rubbing the nape of his neck as he took in the scent that made him feel boneless with content. Kurt inched closer, practically on top of Blaine as he began kissing the soft skin of his boyfriend's neck, his fingers making their way under his shirt to lay pressed to Blaine's heart.

Blaine loved the innocent snuggles, the warm breath across his collarbone, the curious fingers exploring his chest and sides. He wanted so much to be what Kurt needed in terms of a best friend, a loyal partner, a loving boyfriend. He wanted to look at Kurt and see how much he was needed, how Kurt would rely on him for the years to come. He wanted to be able to take care of this precious gift, to be Kurt's everything.

These thoughts were so often in Blaine's mind, every day he found he wanted and needed Kurt more and more – but he didn't want to suffocate the boy with his love. Even his brother had told him that he was too clingy. He closed his eyes and thought about that. Was he really too stifling for Kurt? Would Kurt even tell him? He hated to move from this safe and enjoyable cuddle, but he had to know the truth.

"Kurt?"

"Uh huh?"

"Am I too much? I mean...am I strangling you with my attentions?" Blaine asked.

"Where did that come from? Do I look like I need space between us?" Kurt asked, giving him a strange look.

"Oh. Well, no...but Cooper tells me that I am a strangle-vine with the people I love and I don't want you to be sick of me. I want to give you space if you need it," Blaine explained.

"Cooper said that? Well, I guess he has known you longer than I have, but the absolute truth is that I love it when we're close. I'm the one who asked you to meet me here, remember? You are not crowding me at all, Babe. We can be close...I promise I'll let you know if I need space. Okay?" Kurt offered.

"Okay," Blaine said, kissing Kurt's lips. "Just make sure...I don't want you to wait until it's too late."

Kurt pushed himself up further on Blaine's body, rubbing his hard cock against Blaine and loving the resulting moan before he pressed in with a deep kiss.

Blaine responded, pulling Kurt tighter against him and rutting up to get the friction his body was screaming for.

"Kurt, can we... can we do something more? There is nobody around and it is the middle of the night," Blaine reasoned.

"What do you mean by 'more'?"

Blaine's hands reached down and undid Kurt's belt and then his jeans. He helped pull them down to Kurt's thighs and then came back to pull down his briefs, leaving his erect cock waiting for more.

"Yes..." Kurt sighed, scooting the clothes down further.

Blaine took Kurt in his hand, sliding his fingers around the shaft and stroking very lightly, his thumb curling over the tip to collect the moisture there.

"Oh...yes, Blaine...that feels so good, so warm and soft and just...so good," Kurt said, his brain not functioning on all cylinders.

"Babe, what do you want me to do? I'm all yours, just tell me," Blaine whispered.

"Let me take off my pants, I'm sure we'll think of something. Here, take off yours, too," Kurt said, a bit louder than he was before. Blaine put a hand over his mouth, giving Kurt a look in the moonlight.

"Noise travels over water, let's be quieter," he suggested as he helped Kurt to remove his jeans, then taking his own off. He folded them lightly and placed them neatly beside them.

Blaine went back to kissing Kurt, deep and long as their naked bodies rubbed against each other. They slid together, their bellies close, cocks rubbing with the help of Kurt's hand surrounding them.

"Now, what do you want me to do?" Kurt asked. He studied Blaine's face, so beautiful as he closed his eyes and the needs of his body showed on his face.

"Can we...I wondered...can we make love?" Blaine asked, pulling back far enough to see Kurt's face as he asked the question.

Kurt stopped what he was doing.

"You want to make love. Now?" Kurt asked.

"Yes...oh, don't you?"

"Blaine? Ah...you want our first encounter, our first time making that kind of commitment, our first time making love to each other - -you want it in a sleeping bag in the forest with nothing to lie on but a sleeping bag on the ground, no place to wash afterward, limited access to the things we need...?"

"I hadn't thought of that...we could wash in the lake?," Blaine said, blushing.

"No, Blaine. I don't think I can do that. We haven't really talked about it, I know. And that might be a large part of the problem here. I want our first time with me inside you or you inside me to be special. Do you think doing it on the spur of the moment in a public park, on the ground...is what you want?" Kurt asked, incredulous. His face settled into a frown.

"I hadn't thought of that...no. No, I don't. Thank goodness one of us has their head on straight! I'm sorry, Kurt," Blaine said.

"Nothing to be sorry about," Kurt answered, but the atmosphere was different now and the boys lay in the sleeping bag apart from each other, neither knowing what to say. The night had held such promise, but now it wasn't turning out to be the best. Kurt sighed and turned away from Blaine at the same time Blaine turned to rest on his other hip. They lay there, feeling miserable, each wondering what the other was thinking.

After half an hour, neither had fallen asleep. Kurt was thinking he should have stayed at his dad's house. Blaine was regretting the phone call and agreeing to meet Kurt. He was feeling so depressed, knowing it was all his fault for asking to make love with Kurt. He hadn't expected to be rejected, and it hurt. Tears came, running down his face as he struggled not to let Kurt know he was crying. He held himself very stiff and tried to think of other things – his car, the test coming up in American Literature, wondering just how much trouble he was in with the headmaster for leaving campus.

It didn't work. He could not get the image of Kurt's disappointment out of his head. Was he so wrong to want to make love to Kurt? It was fine that Kurt said no, but then why did Blaine feel so guilty?

He was trying to keep his eyes closed now, maybe he could fall asleep? But warm hands came around his body, tugging him close. Kurt's mouth was on his neck, kissing and nibbling. He could feel every inch of Kurt's flesh pressed against him as he relaxed into those loving arms.

"Are we okay? You know that I love you and I really do want you– You know that, right?" Kurt asked, his voice sad and hurt.

"We are, or at least I think so - Are you still upset with me?" Blaine asked. He didn't want to ask, was afraid to know, but he couldn't help it.

"No, my love. I was hoping you were not upset with me," Kurt said, resuming the kisses as he moved down Blaine's back.

"We need to talk more, maybe? I am guilty of assuming I know what you're thinking. That should never have happened, and I apologize. It's just that we got so close so fast..." Blaine said, trying to figure it all out.

"Agreed. I have jumped to the same conclusions. I love you so much it scares me, Blaine. My life has not been very full of good things and it causes me to doubt it when something good comes along. That is so unfair to you, Babe. I had no call to reject your advances like that. You know I sometimes dream about making love with you?" Kurt asked. Blaine stilled, this admission was a surprise to him.

"You do?" he asked.

"Yeah...probably more than is healthy for me," Kurt laughed.

"Tell me more about this..." Blaine smiled, then laughed at the shocked look on Kurt's face.

"I will not!"

Blaine laughed even louder. He knew that although Kurt was a willing participant in their sexual encounters, he did not like to talk about them.

"Now, lie still," Kurt said, moving so he was lying partly on Blaine's back as he resumed the kisses down his back. He followed the strong muscles along his backbone, licking into the dimples just above the curves of his perfect ass. Blaine giggled.

"Does that tickle?" Kurt asked, faux innocently.

"Yes...but you meant it to," Blaine said, seeing through Kurt's sham.

Kurt went back to kissing – down the slope of Blaine's back and over his rounded cheeks. Blaine was humming in anticipation when Kurt gently pulled his cheeks apart and blew warm air on his boyfriend. Blaine jumped, the feeling was so strange.

"Is this okay?" Kurt whispered. Blaine hummed a yes, curling his fingers into the fabric of the sleeping bag underneath him.

Kurt licked along the end of Blaine's spine, his hands gently parting the cheeks as he ran his tongue down the cleft and circled the pink opening. Blaine shivered all over. He began trembling as Kurt took his time, slow and soft, licking from backbone to perineum.

"Oh, my heaven and stars..." Blaine said, his voice shaky and low. He could not believe the sensuous feeling of this – he had read about rimming, but it never crossed his mind to try it.

"Is this good, Blaine?" Kurt asked, putting his head up to observe Blaine's face. Blaine was lying on his stomach, his head on the rolled-up sleeping bag. His face was the picture of contentment and happiness.

"Yes..." he said in a dreamy voice.

Kurt went back to his mission, giving Blaine something he enjoyed, that felt so good – it was a sort of apology for saying no to intercourse. Kurt was feeling bad about rebuffing Blaine's advances and he wanted in the worst way to make it up to him. He redoubled his efforts, licking harder and finally slipping his tongue just inside the tight muscle. Blaine's moan could be heard across the water.

Kurt continued for quite a while, until Blaine was panting and rock hard before Kurt turned him over. Kurt hadn't thought far enough ahead to bring lube, but he had a small jar of vaseline in his jeans pocket that he used for chapped lips. He found it and opened the jar, rubbing some between his fingers before going back to Blaine.

"Just lie still, Babe, I'm not finished with you," Kurt said. Blaine pulled him down to give him a deep, passionate kiss. Kurt kept that up for a while before he took Blaine's hard cock in his mouth, sucking gently as he rubbed his tongue around the crown and slid it under the foreskin. He slipped his tongue down to caress the vein underneath and Blaine moaned his name out.

Blaine was trembling again, fighting against his instinct to buck his hips and push down Kurt's throat. He had no idea what to do with his hands and found them in Kurt's chestnut hair. Just as the thought he had himself under control, Blaine felt Kurt's fingers – slick and warm and circling his entrance where his tongue had just left. It felt funny, not at all what he had imagined, but it was good and Blaine was lightheaded with all the things going on all at once.

Kurt's finger breached the sphincter muscle, easy and slow. He stopped for a few moments to be sure Blaine was okay with this, then pushed in further. Blaine moaned even louder, making Kurt harder. He pushed his finger in again, going in and out as he made Blaine feel even better. It didn't take long to find that amazing spot that all the literature spoke about, the prostate. He rubbed it gently, increasing pressure a bit at a time and sucking his cock even harder. Then he found Blaine's chest with his other hand and pinched his left nipple – not hard, but so Blaine could feel it. Doing all of this at the same time took coordination, but Kurt was doing a monumental job of it and Blaine's heart was about to pound out of his chest with all the stimulation at once.

Blaine took one more breath, struggling to hold himself at bay, but the dam burst and he was coming in huge bursts of semen, his voice silent with his efforts to stay in Earth's orbit as he felt himself fall apart.

When he was finally down to just the aftershocks, Kurt let go, withdrawing his fingers and lying on his back, tugging Blaine against him and holding him close. He kissed Blaine's forehead, his temple, the corner of his mouth. He hugged his lover tightly and brought the sleeping bag up around their shoulders to keep warm in the night air.

Blaine slowly came back to reality, blinking his eyes and licking his lips before trying to speak. His throat was scratchy from moaning, but he had to say something.

"Oh, Kurt...you are the best lover in all the world. I am so lucky to have you, Babe...so lucky," he said, lying back down with his ear to Kurt's chest, listening to the heart that beat for him.

"Are you okay now?" Kurt asked, a little worried at his fast breaths.

"Yeah, just stunned I guess. Have I told you how much I love you today?" Blaine asked.

Kurt laughed. "Yes. Everyday you show me, how could I ever ask for more than that?"

Blaine's breath was finally calming down. He snuggled closer to Kurt, his hands moving under the sleeping bag to run fingers down Kurt's chest, past his waist.

"Ah...I'm sorry, Blaine, but..." Kurt didn't finish because Blaine's fingers found his soft cock curled asleep in it's nest of chestnut hair. "I got a bit carried away when you were moaning and I was rubbing against you...well, you know what happened," Kurt apologized.

"Oh...Kurt, it's okay. We have a few hours until sunrise, just rest for a while?" he asked.

"Yeah...with you in my arms, Blaine, I don't need more than that."

After cleaning up with a few tissues and wet-naps that Kurt kept in his car, they put their clothes back on and lay down together on top of the sleeping bags. Kurt made a mental note to keep some lube in the car, too. Vaseline was _not_ easy to clean up.

"Kurt? I know you said you didn't want to go all the way yet – but I'm wondering why what we just did was okay, but full intercourse isn't okay? I'm not trying to be a jerk, I just want to understand," Blaine said.

"It's hard to explain. In my mind, going as far as we did tonight was okay because we enjoyed it, and I do believe it brought us closer. Intercourse would do the same, but it is different in my mind. It is giving myself to you – absolutely and entirely. It is both of us giving to the other. I only plan on doing that with one person in my life, and right now I hope that person is you, Blaine," Kurt started to explain, allowing a few quick glances to Blaine's face in the moonlight to be sure he was okay with what Kurt was saying.

"I want that in time," Kurt continued, "its just that right now I don't feel ready for that level of commitment. I want you and I love you, but waiting for our wedding day to make that dream a reality means so much to me, Blaine. It is a gift I can only give once, so I want to make it the most special time. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?" Kurt asked, his eyes dark and full of liquid.

"Yeah, Kurt. I do. I'm sorry it took me so long to understand. I agree, we should save that for the wedding day."

"I love you," Kurt said, meaning it.

"I love you, too. I'm the luckiest man on Earth," Blaine said as he took Kurt in his arms and kissed him.


	25. Chapter 25 - A Tentative Alliance

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Twenty-Four – A Tentative Alliance**

Blaine got back to Dalton just as the sun was rising in the east. He was tired, not having slept much, and sat down on a bench in the garden as he walked toward the dormitory. While he was happy to have been with Kurt, it wasn't a completely calm and loving atmosphere – it was more anxiety than he had anticipated. Once he caught his breath, Blaine got up to walk to his door. Key in hand he let himself into the dorm building only to find the Resident Assistant, Jeff Sterling, waiting for him.

"Where were you, Anderson?" he demanded.

"I had to go meet Kurt. Headmaster Ethridge was pretty adamant that I couldn't leave campus during the school week – but Kurt needed me. You know..." Blaine tried to explain.

Jeff crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"I can't be seen favoring one student above another. Lucky for you I saw you leave and was able to make excuses for you to Dean Abercrombie. I told him you were studying for the American Military History test, and he believed me. You better get your butt to bed for the next two hours and don't be late for class. Okay?

"Okay, Jeff. Thank you," Blaine said, hanging his head.

Blaine had gotten in bed for a few hours sleep before he had to get up to go to class. He had another nightmare.

_Unlike the others, this dream was about his Uncle Andy. He was having trouble remembering what was said, but he saw Andy with tears running down his face...then he held out his arms. Blaine was going to go to him, but someone approached and Blaine couldn't do anything but stand still and watch. Andy looked at him and smiled and nodded, then turned with his arms open once again and embraced whomever it was that was waiting. He saw the smile grow on Andy's face, his arms wrapped tightly around the man he was hugging. The man was squeezing back for a moment before he, too, turned to look at Blaine. _

_It only took a glance and Blaine knew it was his Uncle Buddy. He was so happy to have these two men back in his life, he was all smiles and blushes. He looked back up at Andy, then at Buddy, but this time when he looked at Buddy, he had changed. It wasn't Buddy anymore, it was Kurt. Blaine tried to rush forward to hug Kurt, ask why he was there...and the alarm went off, waking Blaine. _

Blaine was so exhausted, he kept hitting the snooze button, wanting just ten more minutes of sleep, but he finally got up – just barely enough time to get his uniform on but not enough to eat breakfast in the dining hall.

In the classroom building, he found himself running down the corridor, hoping to get to his seat before the bell rang. His shoes skidded on the linoleum floor as he came around the last set of desks and was just sitting down as the late bell rang. He looked up to see Jeff wink at him from a few rows away and he grinned.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Blaine was sitting at lunch – he had barely made it through his morning classes, so thankful for the cup of dark, rich coffee that Jeff had given him after Calculus. It was just enough to help him keep his eyes open during the class time. He was practically staggering as he went to the dining hall, walking through the line and picking the comfort food he craved right now. Fettucine Alfredo with homemade noodles and thick, rich cheese sauce. He was about to get a forkful of the wonderful smelling food when he looked up and saw the sun break from the clouds in the form of his boyfriend. Kurt walked into the dining hall, searching for Blaine and rushing over at top speed when he spotted him.

Blaine forgot where he was, standing up to catch Kurt as he came leaping into Blaine's open arms. He planted a big kiss on Blaine's lips and then held him tighter, kissing back with all the passion he could muster, moving his hand to the back of Kurt's head to hold him steady. They were halfway through their third kiss when reality finally broke through and they heard the other students calling, whistling, laughing, and otherwise cheering them on.

They broke the kiss, Kurt blushing in embarrassment and Blaine with a shy grin on his face. Kurt buried himself in Blaine's shoulder, too mortified to show his face. His ears turned red when he heard clapping.

"Welcome back, Hummel!" several of his friends from the Warblers called and Blaine put his arms tenderly around Kurt's shoulders.

"Its okay, baby, they're just kidding with you. Nothing is going to happen to us, we're safe here," Blaine whispered. Kurt held still for a moment, realizing his boyfriend was right. He raised his face, looking around at the other students, mostly his friends. He gave them a shy smile, blinking back a few tears because he was suddenly so grateful to be going to such an amazing school where he could be safe.

"Thanks," he said softly, stepping back away from Blaine. He was still flustered, but the blush was fading and he was able to smile at Jeff and Trent, who were standing near to them. Trent patted his back.

"We're really glad you're back, Kurt. How is your father doing?" he asked. Wes, Nick, and Jeff were all crowded around Kurt, listening.

"He's much better, thank you," Kurt said, a grin showing through as Kurt realized how close to his heart these boys were. He bet nobody at McKinley would have even thought to ask about his dad.

"Thanks, guys...we're headed back to...ah...we're going to take a walk in the quad and do some homework. See you later," Blaine said, taking Kurt's hand in his. He walked to the doors, Kurt waving at the group as they left.

Blaine led the way to a bench behind the willow trees at the far edge of the rose garden. It was mostly private, forsythia bushes blocking any casual observers. He sat down and pulled Kurt into his lap – arms automatically surrounding his waist and Kurt leaning forward to touch his forehead against Blaine's.

"I missed you, baby. So, so much..." Blaine said with all seriousness.

"You did? Prove it...let me see your hand," Kurt said as he took Blaine's right hand and studied the skin on it. "Nope, I don't see a single blister. I guess you didn't miss me that much," Kurt giggled. Blaine poked his shoulder.

"Hey, that wasn't nice," Blaine said, catching on that Kurt was saying he hadn't masturbated enough to cause blisters. "_Good_ boys don't do that," he quipped.

"Then I guess you're a _bad_ boy? Hmmm?" Kurt said with an evil grin on his face. Blaine burst out with laughter.

"Oh, my stars in heaven, Kurt...I missed you!" Blaine said once again, this time hugging Kurt close to his chest.

They sat together for a while, just soaking each other in. Talking wasn't necessary, they each knew what the other one felt. Finally, Blaine asked Kurt a question: "you're back early – I wasn't expecting to see you again until the weekend. How long are you staying?"

I'm officially back to classes now. Dad told me he was sick of seeing my 'moon-eyed calf- face' and ordered me to come back to school. He also said I obviously needed to be back with you, because he was pretty sure you were responsible for the sad look I couldn't hide from him," Kurt said, his head down and the blush creeping up his neck.

"How is your dad? Is Carole staying with him?"

"Yes. Actually, I have to go back on Saturday because she is moving in with Dad and I volunteered to help move her furniture," Kurt said, a bit afraid Blaine would be upset because he had to cancel another weekend.

"I'll be there, if you want me. Maybe we can get a few of the Warblers to join us? I think Trent's brother has a truck we can borrow," Blaine suggested. If he could be alone with Kurt, he'd join him for the weekend anyway and help someone out in the bargain.

"That's a great idea! We can get it done in half the time," Kurt said, smiling at his boyfriend.

"We better get back to class. Want to race?" Blaine asked and Kurt was up and running, beating Blaine to the classroom door by mere inches.

~ ~ ~KB~ ~ ~

After classes had ended, the boys walked through the mostly empty corridors, looking at the murals painted on the walls. Kurt was holding Blaine's hand, squeezing it gently when he caught Blaine winking at him. He hadn't seen Blaine this happy in a while.

"So, your dad is going to be okay with Carole there?" Blaine asked. "What about when she's at work?"

"She took a leave of absence. She told me she hadn't had a vacation in three years and she has seniority in her department. She said this was better than a vacation because she gets to spend it with dad," Kurt blushed. He was still embarrassed to speak about sex – especially when it concerned his father.

"Well, that's good. So, you're back to Dalton for good?"

"Yeah, I'll go home on the weekends, but I'm feeling okay with getting back to classes. Carole is a good nurse and I know she has Dad's best interest in her heart. I think he likes having her there," Kurt said.

"What makes you so sure?"

"It's just the way he looks at her when she walks in the room. Like he used to look at mom kind of..." Kurt said, his voice fading at the end, as if he was just realizing it.

"You okay with this then?" Blaine asked him, moving closer to place his arm around Kurt's waist.

"Yeah. I mean...I know he remembers Mom, but she's been gone a long time and he deserves to have someone love him. It's not as if Murphy can carry on a conversation, you know?" Kurt looked sad. He missed his mom, and seeing his dad with Carole reminded him of his mother. He didn't resent Carole, he was glad his dad could find someone so kind and sweet. He just missed his mom.

"Sorry, Kurt." Blaine had no way to tell Kurt how much he cared, that he missed his folks, too, but it seemed petty to speak about his own loss in the face of Kurt's. Especially since his were just in Europe and Kurt's mom had died.

They walked into the Warblers choir room and sat on one of the leather chesterfield sofas. All the boys were milling around, chatting or tuning up by the piano. It was several minutes before Wes banged his gavel to restore some order. The boys all found seats and gave their attention to Wes.

"Warblers will now come to order. I have an announcement. We have been invited to compete in the International Show Choir Counsel Invitational that is being held in Chicago this year. We were invited because we won the regional title this year, and all the winning show choirs are invited," Wes told the Warblers.

"But...how are we getting there?" one of the newer singers asked.

"The Headmaster has informed me that the school has funds to cover our rooms, meals, and transportation for the competition. We will go on Friday after classes let out and stay at the Hilton, then compete on Saturday and come home on Sunday afternoon."

"How many choirs will be there?" Jeff asked.

"I don't know. This is a regional competition, but the regions are different than the ones we're used to. Plus there are choirs from all over the world. We need to get a set list and practice, work out the choreography, and a few things like that. I told Headmaster that we are up to the challenge," Wes added, a wide grin on his face.

"What will we sing?" Eddie asked, his eyes on Wes.

"If everyone would write down the three songs you would like to hear, and the committee will let us know who tallies up. We should know before we leave on Sunday," David said, finally able to say something and not interrupt Wes.

"The show is three weekends from here, so submit your choices, I'll collect them and we will chose the list next time I see you. In the mean time, Warblers dismissed," Wes said and banged his gavel in dismissal.

"The best part is that if we win, we'll be going to Melbourne for the competition," Wes said. Blaine was grinning ear to ear.

"Oh...my stars in heaven, Kurt. I'm going home!" Blaine said, the smile on his lips reaching his eyes.

"Yes, yes you are- if we win," Kurt said, holding his hand a little tighter. "Are any of your family still living in Melbourne?"

"Yeah, my grandparents on my mother's side. They live outside the city, but close. I can hardly wait to go visit them," Blaine told Kurt.

"So, am I going to get to meet all of your old boyfriends?" Kurt asked, kidding.

Blaine blushed red.

"Ah...I don't have any old boyfriends, Kurt," he said, but Kurt caught a look on his face that puzzled him. He decided to let it go. It wasn't any of his business who Blaine might have dated before they met, and Blaine was so good looking and had such a sweet disposition that it wasn't possible that he'd had no one interested in him. Kurt knew he was just being jealous, so he curbed his thoughts and pulled Blaine closer to him – planting a big kiss on his mouth. He had meant to just give him a brief kiss, but it ended up with the two of them forgetting where they were and clutching each other tighter, Kurt's tongue exploring Blaine's mouth in that amazing way he had.

The other Warblers were used to the two of them showing some affection during meetings, but this was a bit over the line and Wes had to clear his throat several times before they heard him and pulled back.

"Kurt, Blaine. I know the two of you are close, and most times it is okay to show that – but this is getting to be a habit and you are taking it too far. Please show some decorum in the choir room," Wes admonished.

"Sorry, it won't happen again," Blaine said.

Kurt nodded.

"Thank you. I expect you to act as gentlemen even after I dismiss the choir. I'll see you all on Thursday," and with that, the Warblers left the room.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Later that evening the boys had gotten ready for bed and were just sharing time in their dorm room.

"How excited are you?" Kurt asked. He was lying on his belly on his bed, feet swinging lazily in the air and reading his chemistry book. Blaine was sitting in the desk chair a few feet away and not doing his homework.

"I just – I don't know. It seems like a lifetime ago that we moved to Italy and I had to say goodbye to everyone I knew. It just about broke my heart," Blaine said, a frown appearing on his face at the memory.

"Don't you keep in contact with any of them?" Kurt asked.

"Sometimes, but once I started school in Italy, it was hard to keep in touch. The schoolwork was more advanced and I had to work harder to catch up. I was trying to make new friends, and I missed my family. Mom and Dad were in another city and it was my first time at boarding school, and I was really depressed for a while," Blaine admitted.

Kurt reached out to take Blaine's hand and tugged his arm until he got up and came to the bed. He lay down beside Kurt with a sigh.

"I had taken Italian in school, but learning it in a classroom and speaking it every day are definitely two different things," he laughed. "I did okay, I learned a lot – it was a good experience – but it took a long time before I was comfortable speaking to everyone. When Dad asked me if I wanted to come here and attend Dalton and be near Cooper, it seemed like a godsend to me."

"I wish I had a brother. Cooper seems so nice – were you close as kids?"

"We weren't kids at the same time, actually. Cooper is fourteen years older than me. I remember he was always there for me, though. I came out to him before I ever told my parents. When did you come out to your dad? Did your mom know?" Blaine asked. He picked up Kurt's hand where it was lying on the bed. He laced their fingers together and Kurt smiled at him, ducking his head, feeling suddenly shy.

"That is a story in itself. I was feeling kind of lost, like my dad wasn't paying me much attention, and now I look back and see that he missed my mom and my grandmother, plus he was trying to buy a house for us. He owned the garage, but we were renting the house," Kurt said, a sad look on his face and Blaine squeezed his hand.

"I thought if I had a girlfriend and showed interest in football or fishing or something that he would be happier. So I dated Brittney. We were in my room and I had left a note on the door that I wanted to be left alone. Of course, my dad came down as soon as he saw it. I was making out with Brit when he got there. He just stared at me and turned around to go back up. Then Brit had to leave – which was good because she kept trying to slide her hand down my jeans!"

Blaine coughed at that, trying not to and his eyes watered as he tried to cover up his shock.

"You what? _Britt?_ The one I met?" Blaine asked, his eyes wide.

"Yeah...Brittney Pierce. She really is a sweet girl, just not my...ah...not my type shall we say?" Kurt smirked.

"Anyway, Dad waited until supper and asked me about her. I couldn't lie to him any more and told him it was just staged and that I am gay. He just smiled and said he knew. I looked at him to see if he was serious, and he was. He told me he knew since I was three and asked for a sensible pair of heels for my birthday. I think the day he found my tiara collection sort of cemented it for him," Kurt laughed, "I don't know how I ever thought he _didn't_ know."

"You are so lucky, Kurt. Burt is the best father I can imagine. He is so supportive. My dad is okay with me being gay, but I don't think he's _happy_ about it. He never said much – Cooper told me to be honest about it, and I told them the next night at supper, but neither of them said much. They both looked surprised – I don't think they had guessed beforehand. It was right after that we moved to Italy and I started boarding school."

"Do you think they sent you because you're gay?" Kurt asked. Blaine was still frowning a bit, so Kurt rolled over on his side, curling up next to Blaine and pressed a kiss onto his neck.

Blaine hummed his appreciation, but didn't say anything else for a while..

"Since your father's brother was gay, I imagine he wasn't too bothered by it," Kurt ventured.

"Yeah, he and Uncle Andy were pretty close. I think he had a hard time understanding how difficult it was for Uncle Andy, and he was worried about me because of it. Now, how sending me to an all boys school is perhaps a strange way to protect me..." Blaine grinned.

"Yeah, I can't see where he came up with that!" Kurt laughed a little.

"It was good for me. I was such a clingy kid, just ask Cooper. I would wait until I heard my folks go to bed, then I'd sneak down the hall and climb in bed with Coop...under the covers to keep warm and snuggle up to him. I was lucky, though. Most big brothers would shoo the pesky little brother back to his room – but Coop never blinked an eye. He just moved over and let me sleep there," Blaine explained, a far away look in his eye.

"Well, I'm jealous! You got to sleep with him and all I had was the dog. And Murphy is a terrible blanket thief!" Kurt laughed.

"Don't be jealous -you are so much better than sleeping with Cooper. You cuddle back," Blaine smiled, leaning up to give Kurt a kiss. "Plus you kiss me. Cooper never did," Blaine said with fake puppy eyes.

"Ah...I think I'd start to worry if he did," Kurt said, giving Blaine a look.

Blaine laughed.

"No, I just slept in his bed because I was lonely – and cold. He turned his back and fell asleep right away and then I'd just lay next to his back. I knew he would keep me safe."

They stayed on the bed, Kurt rolling back onto his belly, feet in the air while Blaine closed his eyes and cuddled close into his boyfriend's side while Kurt finished his reading.

"Done!" Kurt said, closing his chemistry book and setting it on the blanket chest at the foot of the bed.

Blaine smiled over at him. He was getting sleepy and just wanted to snuggle with his boyfriend. He opened his arms and Kurt hugged him before they both got up to change into pajamas.

Kurt excused himself to get ready for bed: brushing his teeth, and so on. Blaine had finished up doing that before he got his pajamas on, so he climbed into Kurt's bed and got under the warm blankets. The weather was getting cooler by the day and it was never really warm in the old building that housed the dormitory. Blaine moved over next to the wall and closed his eyes to rest them and wait for Kurt. It had been a long day.

Beginning to doze, Blaine was day-dreaming about Kurt. He wanted to do so many things with his boyfriend, but Kurt seemed very reluctant this past week. Maybe it was worry over his father's health, or extreme pressure about keeping his grades up when he was home with Burt, but Blaine didn't think that was it. Who was he kidding? Kurt made it perfectly clear that he was not going to allow any sort of intercourse until he had a wedding ring on his finger. Blaine sighed. He understood, but at the same time, he wondered if the reason was that Kurt didn't trust him. If he did, then making love in that way wouldn't be an issue. Blaine tried not to dwell on that – he would just get upset and allow the anger to seep into the relationship, and that was not what Blaine wanted.

Kurt finally emerged from the steamy bathroom where he had showered and done his nightly skin routine. He found himself taking less time to do it lately, mostly because he wanted to spend time with Blaine and not sitting alone in front of a mirror smearing avocados and ground apricots all over his face.

Kurt walked over to his bed, smiling when he saw Blaine under the covers. He slid in next to him, reaching to shut off the lamp and plunge them into darkness. He was ready for some cuddles and maybe a wee bit more, but Blaine had turned over, away from Kurt, in his sleep. Well, no sex tonight. Kurt lifted himself on his elbow and kissed Blaine's soft cheek and whispered that he loved him, then lay back and closed his own eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Blaine lay facing the wall, a few tears running down his face as he tried to fall asleep. He wrestled with the thought that Kurt would leave him because he had been so persistent in trying to get Kurt to explore more sex. He needed to stop being so forward, stop trying to push Kurt, because he didn't want to scare him away – he could not even imagine living life without this amazing boy.

Kurt snuffled in his sleep, turning toward Blaine's back and throwing his arm over Blaine's waist. Blaine wiped the tears from his cheeks and snuggled back into Kurt, hoping he could find the right path to Kurt's heart.

Blaine was so tired he wasn't sure he could make it to class in the morning. He was still lying in bed, Kurt's arm wrapped around his waist, as his eyes followed the moon as it moved across his window. It wasn't a full moon – but close to it. Blaine closed his eyes once more, but sleep was not in the cards for him tonight.

"Blaine?" Kurt's quiet voice came, and Blaine could tell he was only half awake.

"Shhh...it's the middle of the night, sweetheart. Go back to sleep," Blaine whispered back. There was no sense in having them both lose sleep, and Kurt had been sleeping peacefully.

"What's wrong, you're not asleep...did you sleep at all?" Kurt asked, his concern growing.

"Ah...no. Don't worry, I'll be fine," Blaine said, not wanting to disturb his boyfriend. "I think I might go and sleep in my bed, though. Goodnight," he whispered, shifting to kiss Kurt, and then to get out of bed. He padded across the room, the bare wooden floor making his feet cold. He started to lie down but a coughing fit stopped him and he decided to use the restroom before trying once more to try to fall asleep.

Once in there, Blaine thought he might take a warm shower to loosen his muscles. He hoped the running water wasn't too loud as he soaped the wash cloth and began scrubbing his arms. The hot water felt good on his sore muscles. He must have slept wrong the night before when he was with Kurt in the sleeping bag at Indian Lake. Blaine ended the shower with a cough so bad he had to lean over and hold his stomach – it felt like he was going to lose a lung or something. He sat down on the small chair at the vanity and tried to catch his breath, his head down by his knees.

Finally sitting up, he dried off and put on a clean pair of pajamas. He sat for a few more minutes, his hands over his belly as the sharp stabbing pain settled into an ache again. When the sharp pain was less, he got up to put his old pajamas and towels in the laundry hamper before opening the door.

Kurt was sitting on his bed, a tray on the bedside table.

"Hey," Blaine said, looking over the tray and then his eyes locked on Kurt.

"Hey, yourself. How long have you had that cough?" Kurt asked.

"A few days I think. Don't worry, it's nothing, just an allergy or something," Blaine said, sitting next to Kurt on the bed.

"I made you some tea with lemon and lots of honey, just like my dad used to make," Kurt said, still looking at Blaine.

Blaine took the cup and sipped a mouthful of the hot tea. His eyes opened wide and he had to hold his breath so he wouldn't cough. He looked at Kurt to see a smile on the boy's lips.

"Oh, and the Irish whiskey is from my grandmother's recipe," Kurt grinned. He tipped the cup up for Blaine to take another sip.

"Wowsers, I think I would have loved to meet your grandmother," Blaine giggled. He took another sip. "Where did you find Irish whiskey on campus?"

"Oh, I have friends in low places," he laughed. Kurt was not going to reveal his sources to anyone. "Drink your tea."

Blaine gave him a smile and sipped the sweet drink, his head getting a pleasant buzz as he neared the bottom of the cup. He finished the tea and set the cup back on the tray, then leaned back on the stack of pillows. Kurt put a hand to his forehead.

"My goodness, you are hot!" he said, "How are you feeling?"

Blaine turned to look at Kurt, his eyes burning as he blinked them.

"I'm okay, just can't seem to shake this cough," Blaine said.

"You are staying in bed tomorrow, I'll take care of you. Now, wait here and I'll get you something to take," Kurt said, going to the bathroom to get some aspirin. He came back and sat on the side of the bed, handing Blaine the little pills and a glass of water.

"Thank you, Kurt," Blaine said, looking drowsy.

"Would you like me to rub your back?"

"Oh, would you? I don't think anyone has rubbed my back since Cooper lived at home. He always took good care of me," Blaine said, "And now I have you. I've been really rich in my life, haven't I?"

"I'd say you have. Take off your pajama shirt and lie down on your tummy," Kurt directed, looking in his bedside drawer and finding some jasmine massage oil.

He was back, towel in hand, and squeezed some of the lotion on his hands, rubbing them together.

"Okay, now try to relax," Kurt said, "I'll start at your neck and work my way down."

"Mmmmm, that sounds sexy," Blaine said, a dreamy smile gracing his lips.

Kurt started massaging his neck, rubbing the tense muscles and stroking between his shoulder blades as he worked his way down Blaine's back. He rubbed hard, then eased up as he moved and listened intensely to know when it edged towards pain. He leaned forward, his weight on Blaine as he went down either side of his spine and heard a growl from his boyfriend.

"Does that mean it hurts or does that mean it feels good?" Kurt asked.

"Feels good, baby," Blaine said, stretching his arms up towards the head of the bed as Kurt returned to his shoulders to massage. He continued for a while, ignoring Blaine's naughty suggestions of where to touch him.

"Hey, this is a massage, not a seduction, mister. It is supposed to relax you, not stir up your hormones," Kurt scoffed. Touching Blaine in all kinds of places had been flitting through his mind since starting, but he knew Blaine was sick and that activity was probably not a good idea.

"Just one little kiss?" Blaine asked, turning a little so he could be sure Kurt saw his puppy-dog eyes pleading.

"NO."

"Oh...well, then carry on, this is feeling so good," Blaine said in his sexiest voice.

Kurt had to adjust himself – Blaine was sexy even when he was sick with the flu, and that was entirely unfair. He redoubled his efforts and ignored what Blaine was saying to him. When he was just about done, he happened to glance over at Blaine and saw he was fast asleep.

Kurt washed his hands and came back to kiss his boyfriend on his hot forehead. Blaine opened his eyes for a moment, then took Kurt's arm and pulled him down on the bed.

"Come hold me, baby, please?" Blaine asked, then closed his eyes once again.

Kurt got into the bed, snuggled up to Blaine's back and they both fell asleep.


	26. Chapter 26 - Fever

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Twenty-Six – Fever**

Kurt woke up first this morning, Blaine still and peaceful on the bed beside him. He looked pale and sick, dark shadows under his eyes and a frown on his face. Kurt stroked the wrinkles on his forehead, hoping to massage them away. He was humming a quiet tune as he took stock of how Blaine had fared during the night.

The poor boy hadn't slept well, if he slept at all, for the first half of the night and he had coughed in his sleep for the rest of the night holding his belly and moaning in his sleep. Kurt got up and took their dishes to the small kitchenette and set them in the sink. It wasn't a whole kitchenette and the boys had been very creative, adding a hotplate and a tiny refrigerator to the corner with the sink. He spent a few minutes making more tea and lacing it with honey, lemon juice, and another dollop of Irish whiskey.

"Kurt?" came a plaintive voice from the bed.

"I'm right here, just stay in bed and I'll bring you some tea," Kurt said, finishing up buttering the toast and placing it on the tray before taking it to Blaine.

"Oh, that smells good," Blaine smiled a bit.

"Well, at least your nose is still working," Kurt said in a cheerful voice. He sat down beside his boyfriend, feeling his forehead to find out if he still had a fever. He did. Kurt shook out two aspirin tablets and held them out to Blaine along with a glass of water. Blaine took them and then coughed for a while.

"Let's get some tea down you, and maybe the toast?" Kurt asked. Blaine nodded his head and took a sip of the tea. Kurt was on his way to get dressed when he glanced over at Blaine, noticing he had his head down and was wiping at his face. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just ah, part of the flu I guess?" Blaine lied.

"Nonsense. Now, are you going to tell me the truth or am I going to tickle it out of you?"

"Oh...no...no tickling, please," Blaine begged, his voice with a note of hysteria in it.

Kurt studied him, noting the sweat standing out on his face, the wide eyes and trembling hands.

"I won't. I promise...what happened with tickling?" he asked, knowing from Blaine's actions that it stirred up a lot of emotion.

Blaine sighed. "It was...back in Australia. Some of the kids were teasing me and several of the bigger guys got the notion of tickling me. They held me down and tickled me until I was screaming – but it didn't stop there. They kept it up until I wet myself. I wasn't the first person it happened to, and I wasn't the last – but I never wanted to go back to school. That was just before we moved to Italy," Blaine said, his face showing all of his anger and resentment towards those kids.

Kurt sat down next to him, taking his hand.

"I'm sorry, babe. I won't tickle you ever again. I didn't know..." Kurt apologized and placed a kiss on Blaine's warm cheek. He was even hotter than last night.

"You need to go see a doctor, Blaine. You still have a fever and you look so tired. I'll walk you over to the campus clinic, okay?"

Blaine nodded, then tipped his cup to get the final drops of the sweet tea concoction that Kurt had made for him. He stood up, swaying and trying in vain to balance himself. Kurt reached out an arm to steady him. Blaine grabbed at his stomach and bent over double. Kurt saw and put his arms around the boy to help him back in the bed.

"Whoa there, pal. Maybe you should let me help you. Just sit here and I'll get your clothes," Kurt offered, going to pick out some lose-fitting jeans and a polo shirt to match. Blaine wasn't much help. He just sort of sat there, letting Kurt put his arms in the sleeves of the shirt and so on until he was dressed. Kurt slid his saddle shoes on and tied them.

When he was ready, Kurt tried helping Blaine up, but he was groggy and begged to be left alone.

"No, I just want to go back to sleep," Blaine whined, pulling his arm away from Kurt. He laid back down and curled his knees up to his stomach, whimpering as he closed his eyes.

Frustrated, Kurt gave up trying to coax Blaine to get up. He went over to his nightstand and found his phone, calling the campus clinic. Then he called to check up on his dad and make sure Carole was going to be there all weekend.

"Where did you go, Kurtsie?" asked Blaine. Kurt gave him a stare. 'Kurtsie'? Really?

"I was making some phone calls," Kurt informed him.

"How is your dad?" Blaine asked, his wide, innocent eyes looking at Kurt from his fetal position on the bed.

"Carole says he is doing fine. I went ahead and canceled the move this weekend. I'm staying here with you," Kurt said, avoiding mentioning the silly nickname Blaine had used.

"You don't have to do that," Blaine said, rolling on his side and closing his eyes. They were burning and sore. He wanted Kurt to stay and hold him, but he knew that was selfish and that Kurt had a lot on his plate just now: Burt's heart, the rehearsal for the Warblers competition, getting caught up with his assignments for school. It was beginning to be overwhelming.

"Blaine, I'm only going to tell you this once. I love you and because I love you and you are the most cherished person in my life, you come first – did you hear that? You are number one in my book and no, I would not leave you alone when you're this sick," Kurt stated in a voice that was close to a growl.

Blaine had the good sense not to disagree with Kurt and snuggled down further in the warm bedding.

"The doctor will be here in just a few minutes, so try to be still when he examines you," Kurt said, his fingers pushing on the bridge of his nose.

"Yes, sir," Blaine said in a shy voice.

"Trent?" Kurt said, sitting in the hallway so as not to disturb Blaine. He wanted Blaine to have as much rest as possible, so he had walked outside the dorm to call Trent.

"..."

"Yeah, this is Kurt. Listen, it's about Blaine. I've got the campus doctor coming to see him. The clinic is close, so he should be here in a few minutes," Kurt said into his cell.

"..."

"No, I'm fine to do this, I just wanted to ask if you could find out from Wes or one of the guys what songs we need to practice for the competition. Blaine is convinced that he's going to be fine by then. I guess we won't know..."

"No, he's got a cough, but it's the fever and he says his belly hurts. He keeps holding his right side and then pretending it isn't hurting. Yeah, he's like that," Kurt said, smirking at what Trent said to him.

"..."

"No, I've got it, but thanks for offering. No, I told my dad we had to cancel moving his girlfriend into his house this weekend. I couldn't leave Blaine," Kurt said, his jovial humor leaving as he thought about all the things he had yet to do. There never seemed as if there was enough time anymore.

"..."

"Sure, Trent. Thanks, I'll call if I need anything and I'll let you know what the doctor says about Blaine. Yeah, sure. Bye."

Kurt had just shut his phone when a striking woman came in the dormitory door. She was tall and brunette, and very pretty when she smiled at Kurt.

"I'm guessing you must be Kurt Hummel?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am. Then you are the on-call doctor from the campus clinic?"

"Yes, Margaret Radosovich, where is Mr Anderson?"

"Just in here," Kurt said, opening the door and peeking in to make sure Blaine was in bed.

He led the way, closing the door quietly behind him before going over to wake Blaine.

"Hey, baby, the doctor is here," Kurt cooed at him, his hand on Blaine's shoulder. He ran a warm hand down his boyfriend's face, cupping his cheek. "Wake up, honey."

"Kurt?" Blaine asked, blinking awake and staring at the woman standing beside the bed. He focused his eyes on Kurt and tried to talk, but only nonsense came out.

"This is Dr Radosovich, honey. She is here to examine you. Can you roll over on your back for me?" Kurt asked. Blaine closed his eyes and Kurt thought he had fallen back asleep, but he opened his eyes briefly and carefully rolled onto his back, grasping at his lower belly as he turned.

"Hello, Blaine. Can you see me?" the doctor asked, turning his head towards her.

"Yes, ma'am," Blaine said, opening his eyes once more.

"Can you sit up so I can have a listen to your heartbeat?" she asked. Blaine complied as she took his vital signs, blood pressure, oxygen level, temperature, and other basic procedures. She wrote it down in a notebook.

"Okay, I'm going to pull down the blankets and take a look at your tummy, okay?"

"MmmmHmmm," Blaine hummed an affirmative answer, trying to push the blankets down. Kurt took hold of them and exposed Blaine to the cool air of the room. Dr Radosovich rubbed her hands together to warm them a bit, then pulled his shirt up.

"I'll need to pull the pants down a bit to see your tummy, okay?" she asked. Blaine nodded. Kurt helped him off with his jeans, leaving him in boxer briefs. The doctor asked some questions: How long had he had the fever? What were the exact symptoms? Had he had any nausea? How long had he been coughing? Blaine tried to answer each one, sure that it was nothing worse than the flu. He hoped he could get some cold medicine and just go back to sleep for a week.

Everything was fine until she pushed on his belly and he curled up like a shrimp, grabbing Kurt's hand and letting out a loud moan.

"There, there, Blaine. I'm sorry. I will try to be more delicate – but I need to assess the condition of your tummy," the doctor apologized.

Blaine nodded his head, his arms trying to wrap around his pelvic region to alleviate the pain.

"I'm going to need to turn you on your side now. Just relax and let me do the lifting and turning, okay?" she asked, but Blaine knew it wasn't a question and he relaxed as much as possible. She took his knee and shoulder and expertly turned him on his left side. When he was settled, she looked at his exposed skin, pulling his briefs a bit lower so she could make out where his hip was. She felt along the illiac crest of his hip, up to the bottom rib and placed her warm hand on his side.

"This might hurt, Blaine. I am going to give you what is called a Murphy Punch, but it isn't really a punch, I will just press down. Tell me if it hurts, okay?"

Blaine nodded and Kurt reached out to hold his hand. Dr Radosovich smoothed her hand across his side and felt gently through his skin to determine exactly where his bones were located. Then she gave him a rapid 'punch' with an open hand to the area above his hip and under his ribs in the back. Blaine yelped loudly and came up off the bed. The doctor had hold of him, trying to soothe him as best she could.

"I'm so sorry that was painful, Blaine. I need to check the other side now, so once more. Roll to your right, please." She positioned him and exposed his skin, then measured and gave him a Murphy Punch on the other side. He flinched, but no yelp.

"That didn't hurt much at all," Blaine said, looking relieved. He had tensed up, waiting for the pain and now looked a little bewildered.

"I think what you have is a combination of things here. You do have a cough, but it isn't bad, no pneumonia or bronchitis that I can determine. Then the belly pain: I need to have an ultrasound done, but I'm thinking that might be your appendix. Last, you probably have a pretty acute infection of your kidney," Dr Radosovich said.

"Whoa...all that? I was fine just a few days ago! How could all of that just happen overnight?" Blaine asked, incredulous.

"Have you been under a lot of stress? Not sleeping or not eating well? I know finals are coming up, that can intensify everything, especially if you left your term papers to the last minute. It is common for students to overdo, to spend so much time doing schoolwork and then cut back on sleeping and eating, add stress to that, plus the raging hormones of a typical teenager – it's a recipe for disaster. I see this a lot, unfortunately."

"What do I need to do?" Blaine asked, shifting towards Kurt and snuggling down beside him, arms around his waist. Kurt absently stroked Blaine's silky curls and Blaine put his head in Kurt's lap.

"I think you need to go to the hospital. Now. I'll call and arrange to have you admitted. Drive to the emergency room entrance, stop at the triage desk and they'll take it from there. You'll have the ulrasound first and we can go from there. You need to have some IV antibiotics for the kidney infection as soon as possible. Have you had any blood in your urine?" she asked,

"I...I don't know. Maybe?" Blaine said, blushing.

Okay, they'll check that at the hospital. I'll be there early this afternoon to talk it over with you, okay?" The doctor asked.

"Ah...yeah, okay," Blaine said, looking bewildered.

"I'll get him over to the hospital," Kurt said, holding Blaine's hand tightly.

"We'll need permission from his parents or guardian," the doctor said.

"I'll take care of it," Kurt offered. He knew Cooper was back from his trip to Belize.

"Okay, I'll see you two later today then," she said, shaking Kurt's hand and patting Blaine on the shoulder.

Kurt untangled himself from Blaine and walked Dr Radosovich to the door to the courtyard.

"He's going to be alright, isn't he?" Kurt asked, his face wrinkled with frown lines as he worried about his boyfriend.

"Just get him to the hospital now, I think he'll be fine if we start treating him without delay," she said, then squeezed Kurt's shoulder and gave him a wan smile. "He's lucky to have you as his friend, Kurt."

"Thank you. We will see you at the hospital." Kurt turned and walked quickly back to his room to get Blaine and take him to Westerville Memorial Hospital.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Sitting in the hospital room, Kurt looked over to see Blaine was shivering. He got up and walked to the door to see if the LPN was coming. He spotted her down the hallway, Cooper walking beside her. Good, he didn't waste any time getting here. Kurt had called Cooper from his blue tooth on the way to the hospital. Coop was on his way to classes, but promised he would be there for Blaine as soon as possible. He must have ignored all speed limits to get here so fast, and Kurt let out a sigh of relief at seeing him.

Cooper and the LPN, Linda, came into the private room. Cooper went immediately to Blaine, hugging him gently. Blaine tried to smile, but he was groggy from the pain medication.

"Here we go, Blaine. This should help with your shivering," the young woman said, spreading the warmed blanket over Blaine and tucking him in. He looked up at her, not saying anything but giving her an encouraging smile.

Cooper held back until she was done and left the room before he went back to the side of the bed and put his arms around Blaine, kissing his curls.

"Hey, Squirt, looks like you've charmed all the nurses already. I knew you had a bit of the ol' Anderson charm," Cooper said. He took Blaine's hand in his own and sat on the bed next to his little brother. "You know the chills and shivering are from the kidney infection. It will go away as soon as the antibiotics go to work." Cooper got up and looked at the bags of liquid attached to his brother's IV.

"He's had the ultrasound, but they haven't told us anything yet. They came and took blood, put in the IV's, and have been whispering in the hallway, but we don't know anything yet," Kurt reported with an exasperated sigh.

"All in good time, Kurt, all in good time. I saw Margaret Radosovich in the hall as I was coming in. She's good, I know you're in good hands, Squirt. Don't worry, we'll have you good as new in no time at all," Cooper comforted his brother. Blaine gave him a smile, but didn't attempt to speak. His throat hurt although the cough was much better now.

"They came and shot some kind of pain medicine in his IV about twenty minutes ago. He's been in Lala Land ever since. Haven't you, sweetheart?" Kurt said, rolling his eyes in jest.

Cooper laughed a bit, looking at how tense Kurt was. He might be joking to keep Blaine from stressing, but Cooper could see the tension in his muscles: the white knuckles, the tight smile, the dark circles under Kurt's eyes. He was holding Blaine's other hand tightly. Cooper reached out and took Kurt's other hand, squeezed it gently and gave him an encouraging smile. Then he got up and walked around Kurt, leaning over the back of his chair, he started to massage Kurt's shoulders. Kurt moaned quietly, his muscles beginning to relax under Cooper's strong grip.

"Thanks, Coop," he said, feeling better a while later. He had been scared for Blaine for hours now and the lack of any word from anyone was not making him feel better. Just as he was getting ready to go looking for someone with the answers, Dr Radosovich came in the door. She smiled at Cooper and then turned her attention to Blaine.

"Hey, how are you feeling? Is the pain medication working okay for you?" she asked. Blaine nodded.

"Good. Push the nurse call button if you start hurting again. Okay?" she said. "I have all the reports back. Yes, you have an inflamed appendix. Sometimes we can get by with giving antibiotics and the condition responds well to that, but your appendix is more infected than most. I don't feel it is safe to leave it alone. In cases like this it is possible that it could turn gangrenous or burst. I recommend we call in a surgeon and have that little troublemaker removed," she explained. Blaine looked scared and turned his gaze to his brother.

"She's right, Blaine, I think we can trust her word. Are you okay with this?" Coop asked, searching for his little brother's eyes and locking on to them. He could see the fear buried deep in his mind.

Cooper thought it was the fear of having surgery, but truthfully it wasn't. Cooper had called him by his first name, not one of the silly nicknames he had gotten used to over his lifetime. He usually referred to Blaine as 'Squirt', and by using his formal name, Blaine was scared down to his very soul. He leaned forward, falling into Cooper's arms. It wasn't until he felt his brother trembling that Cooper knew just how afraid he was.

"Hey, Squirt, you're going to be fine. I promise. This is a fairly simple surgery, they can do it laparoscopically – you know, they make three little 'buttonhole' incisions and you'll be on your feet in no time. I can be here for you the whole time, Blainers," Coop tried to calm Blaine's fears.

"He's right, Blaine. I've contacted Dr Nelson and he can do the operation tomorrow morning at seven," Dr Radosovich assured them. Cooper let loose a sigh of relief, squeezing Blaine's hand once again.

"All right. Are you okay with going ahead with the surgery?"

"Yes, ma'am, thank you," Blaine managed to say, looking first at his big brother. He closed his eyes and settled down more into the mattress.

"Get some sleep tonight, Blaine. I'll be here in the morning in case you have any questions," Dr Radosovich told him, stroking his arm.

"Thank you."

When the doctor left, Cooper went with her to discuss the rest of Blaine's care. The boys were left alone in the room and Blaine held out his hand for Kurt to come closer.

"Hey, how are you doing?" Kurt asked, concern for his boyfriend showing on his face as he took Blaine's hand and held it to his heart.

"I don't even know...I guess if Cooper says it's going to be fine, I trust his judgment. I'm still scared though," Blaine said.

"How about the pain?"

"My back hurts, too. Every time I cough, it's like knives stabbing me in the back. The medication they gave me helped, but having you with me helps even more," Blaine said in a quiet voice. "They gave me this button to push," he said, showing Kurt the morphine pump. "They'll hook it up after the surgery so I won't have to call the nurse each time. It's set for a certain amount of the drug to dispense into my IV the LPN told me. I have the same medicine now...and it is helping but it makes me sleepy."

"Just go ahead to sleep, baby. I'll stay here with you all night. I promise, I'll be here if you need me," Kurt assured him.

"I know you will..." Blaine said, his head nodding as he fell asleep. He shook himself awake for a moment, looking at Kurt. "Go get some lunch, Kurt. I'm just going to take a nap, okay?"

"Sure, honey. I'll be back in half an hour, okay?" Kurt assured him. Blaine nodded and closed his eyes. Kurt pulled the blanket up to warm his boyfriend's shoulders and tucked it in. He leaned over and kissed Blaine on his cheek before he left the room.

Catching up with Cooper, they went down to the cafeteria to get lunch.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Kurt spent the rest of the day with Blaine, sitting next to him while he slept, while the nurses came and went, taking blood, changing IV bags, taking his vitals. Cooper was in and out of the room. This was the hospital he would be interning with, so he was a bit nervous, but he stayed to show Blaine how much he cared. Blaine woke up from time to time, mostly just to speak to Kurt or his brother for a few moments before slipping back into slumber.

Cooper reassured Blaine that everything was going to be fine. He would feel much better once the kidney infection cleared up and the appendix was removed.

Later that day, Kurt left to get some supper from the small coffee house across from the hospital. He barely ate anything, his worry over Blaine stopping him from having any appetite. He was still reeling from taking care of his father and now here he was taking care of Blaine. He called his dad.

"Hey, Buddy, how's everything going?" Burt asked.

"I'm at supper. Blaine is still the same as when we spoke earlier, he was asleep when I left," Kurt told his dad.

"You said they are taking his appendix out tomorrow morning?"

"Yeah. He's going to have a sedative tonight, then they will take him in around six thirty. I think I'll stay here tonight, they offered me a cot to sleep on in his room," Kurt said.

"I want you to take care of yourself, Kurt. Don't do more than your body can handle – we don't want to have you end up in a hospital," Burt said.

"I'll be careful, Dad. Thanks. You are doing okay?"

"Yes, Carole makes me all my meals and got rid of everything in the house that I shouldn't have. She's relentless," Burt complained, but Kurt just laughed at him.

"She loves you and you know it," he told his dad and Burt laughed, too.

"Take care, Kurt. Let me know what they say tomorrow, okay?"

"I will Dad. I love you."

"I love you, too, son."

Later that evening, Kurt was relaxing in the recliner, watching Blaine as he slept. He was still worried about his boyfriend. His fever had come back and the nurse came in to hang another IV bag of medication. She was frowning and Kurt watched as she took Blaine's vitals once more.

"You can go ahead and go to sleep on the cot, I will wake you in the morning if you like," she offered.

"Thanks. I'll just sit with him a bit longer, then go to sleep," Kurt said. Cooper had gone home, he had to speak with his advisor before he returned to Blaine's bedside and it was agreed that he would be back in the morning before the operation since Kurt was spending the night on the cot with Blaine.

"We won't have to do any more tests until morning, so the staff will let him sleep tonight. Do you want the lights off?" she asked and Kurt nodded. "Okay, I'll close the door so you won't be disturbed."

Kurt was dosing off in the chair about midnight when he heard Blaine.

"Kurt? Are you here?" he asked in the dark room. Kurt got up and hurried to his side.

"I'm right here, baby. Are you okay?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah, but I'm cold and I want you close to me," he said, reaching out and catching Kurt's hand.

"I'm here, I won't leave you," Kurt assured him once more. Blaine took his hand and brought it to his lips, kissing his knuckles.

"Come up here with me, Kurt. I'm cold and I need you closer to me," Blaine said. Kurt removed his shoes and climbed on the bed, getting under the blankets and cuddling close to Blaine. Blaine let out a sigh in relief, his hands grasping at Kurt's clothes, wrapping around his body and tugging him close.

"Hey, what's this? Blaine – are you still scared?" Kurt asks as he tries to get Blaine to calm down. "What's wrong?"

"Kurt...I had a dream. You left me! I was so scared to be without you, and I knew you went to a dark place – it was cold and lonely and you needed me, but you kept telling me that I had to wait until it was my time. I hated it, and I was so angry at you!" Blaine said in one breath, his body shaking and his hands pulling Kurt closer.

"Oh, sweetheart, it was just a dream. It wasn't real, I'm right here beside you. I get to stay here all night, and I'll be here when your surgery is over. I'll hold you all day if you need me to," Kurt tried to comfort his boyfriend, but Blaine remained upset.

"It was too real. It was terrifying! I didn't want to be the one left, but I was. You were gone for so long I didn't believe you were coming back to me! But then...you did. I was walking down a staircase and you took my hand and led me away. Promise me you'll be there for me, Kurt. That you won't leave me behind..." Blaine burst into tears.

"Blaine Devon Anderson, I promise that I will never leave you behind. I will always wait for you to catch up to me, I will always run my hardest and fastest to keep up with you – no matter what, I will never leave you. Ever, Blaine. I will _never_ leave you..." Kurt swore, holding Blaine in his arms as tightly as he possibly could.

Kurt was very worried about Blaine. He wasn't acting rationally and Kurt knew he was getting morphine for the pain, but he was sure even that didn't account for all of this. No, the dreams they had both been having were not just dreams, he was sure of it now. He had dreamed the exact same dream the night before.

Kurt curled in, holding Blaine close to his body, kissing his neck and rubbing his hands down Blaine's sensitive sides, fingers over the bumps of his ribs.

"Kurt..." Blaine sighed. "Can you touch me more? I need you, baby, I need you so much," Blaine rubbed his hands over Kurt's beautiful ass, stroking over the tight muscles as he closed his eyes and daydreamed about the day they would be wed, the day they became a married couple, tied together for the rest of their lives.

"Blaine, calm down, you need your rest. Let's just snuggle and go to sleep, we can do all that when you feel better," Kurt said. He knew Blaine was sick and so wasn't up to do anything concerning sex, so he tried to get him to calm himself.

"I am calm, I just want you, Kurt. Please?" Blaine begged. "Please?

"Oh, baby, no...you are so tired and there are a dozen or more nurses and other hospital staff behind that door, who will come walking in at any moment," Kurt tried to convince his boyfriend.

"But Kurt...I'm horny!"

"Shhhhh! Do you want the whole floor to know? Hush!" Kurt said in a stage whisper.

"Kurt, I'm going to keep asking until you agree to do something with me. I really, really want you. Can we make love, Kurt? Please?" he begged.

"Blaine? Are you okay? I've never seen you like this...sweetheart, you need to sleep."

"I promise I will go right to sleep if you just get me off. It's all I want – that and to make you feel good. We can do something together..." Blaine whispered. He slid his hand nimbly under the belt and waistband of Kurt's clothes and down to reach his fingers around Kurt's cock. It was hard and Blaine felt a bit of triumph. He was not letting go now.

"Blaine!" Kurt whisper-shouted.

"Yes, my love?" Blaine answered, wrapping his hand around a bit tighter and started to slowly stroke up and down, then moved to kiss Kurt's neck – so gently, so softly. "I love you, Kurt, will you deny me this one pleasure?"

Kurt broke. He could only see a little bit in the dark room from the reflection of the streetlights in the window and the small glowing night-light by the door, but what he could see were Blaine's beautiful eyes as they promised him so much...how could he turn down the love of his life?

"Stay quiet, Blaine," he said, kissing him deeply, then running his lips down Blaine's neck and bit him gently just above the collarbone. Blaine sighed into the sensation, his throat closing to quiet the moan as it tried to escape. Kurt moved to his left and bit Blaine again, licking just to taste Blaine's skin at this tender spot.

"Kurt, oh, that feels so good, your lips, your tongue...do it some more," Blaine asked and Kurt complied. He loved the sounds that escaped from Blaine's throat. They moved through Kurt's blood like lava, making him hot and ravenous for more of Blaine.

"What do you want, baby?" Kurt asked, trying to pull his head back to look in Blaine's face, but Blaine was not letting him go right now.

"I want your mouth, that beautiful mouth, please? I want you to suck me, Kurt."

Kurt stopped short, wondering if there could be any harm to Blaine if he gave in and did what he asked. His hand migrated down to palm himself when Blaine let go, the thoughts of having Blaine hard and in his mouth was too sweet to describe. He decided there wouldn't be any harm, in fact it might tire his boyfriend out enough to help him sleep.

"Okay, baby...okay, just lie still and let me do all the work."

Kurt pulled back the warm blankets and curled up on the narrow bed so he could reach Blaine without straining. He pulled back the gown to access his cock and was surprised to find he wore no underwear, just the thin hospital gown. He pulled it back to reveal Blaine was not adversely affected by the pain medications – at least not in this way. His beautiful cock was full and hard, so pretty it almost made Kurt cry. He started by licking a long line of saliva from base up the bulging vein to dance around the crown as Blaine's breathing got faster and small noises were on his lips.

Kurt's lips were surrounding the thick cock in front of him while visions of the last time he did this flew through his memory. It was in his bedroom at his father's house. That time was dark, too, and Kurt wondered if he would ever have the courage to do this in daylight.

Blaine was moaning quietly, but his impatience showed in his voice and Kurt took the head into his mouth to swirl his tongue around it, rubbing hard against the ridge as Blaine squealed - putting his hand over his mouth to muffle the noise.

"Kurt...oh, do that again, _please_," Blaine asked, trying not to buck forward as Kurt did it again. He tried to hold still, but it was so hard to do that, the tingles going up and down his spine as Kurt rubbed harder with his tongue, stroking the inside of Blaine's thigh and cupping his balls with his warm hands. He changed rhythm, now sucking a bit harder and pushing his tongue around the crown and into the slit. It was hard to keep himself in check because Blaine was murmuring so many things he might do to Kurt when he finally came.

Kurt tried so hard to keep his mind on pleasuring his boyfriend that he didn't hear the door to the room open. He didn't see the nurse peek in and her eyes go wide in shock, and he didn't hear as that same nurse turned to her assistant and say that Blaine was sound asleep and should not be disturbed for several more hours, he needed his sleep. The nurse was older than most at the hospital and she didn't stay in her profession for thirty years by not having a heart. She hoped that Blaine would calm down and be relaxed for his surgery in the morning. With a smile, she went back to her desk and started the paperwork for the night.

Back in the room, Kurt was getting tired but not about to stop what he was doing – moving up and down on Blaine's cock, pushing himself to the limit as he hummed to add the vibration that would bring Blaine to climax. That was exactly what was needed and Blaine pushed forward and back with a frenzy that Kurt hadn't known he was capable of. Blaine had one hand over his own mouth and one gripped in the covers as he first felt the inklings and then the promise of what was to come.

Blaine felt the heat running through his body, that tickling monumental surge of energy that signaled the rest of his body to brace for it and finally, finally he came so hard he was dazed. Never had it felt this good. He threw his head back into the pillow and just thrilled at the orgasm flowing through him. He was completely exhausted, hardly able to feel as Kurt slowed to a steady rhythm, lose and gentle as Blaine came back to earth.

"Kurt...Kurt..." he murmured as the weight of his illness came down around him. "Thank you, my love...thank you..." Blaine managed as he fell asleep.

Kurt sat up. How could anyone fall asleep after an amazing climax like that? Kurt got up, careful not to disturb Blaine, and made his way to the bathroom. He cleaned himself up, sort of proud of the fact that Blaine had made such lusty noises that it had led to him coming himself without a touch. He slid off his jeans and underwear, wondering for a moment what to do about the sticky evidence. He finally washed himself off in the sink with a warm washcloth, then dried himself and put the jeans back on. He was going to have to go commando until he could get home and change in the morning. Lucky for him, he wasn't wearing his favorite shorts. So he wrapped them in a few paper towels and threw them into the waste receptacle. Just seeing Blaine's face as he came was worth a pair of designer briefs, Kurt chuckled and returned to the room. He pulled the blankets up to Blaine's shoulders one more time and patted him on the bottom.

"Sweet dreams, baby. I love you," he whispered and kissed his lips. Blaine shifted in his sleep, seeming to be searching for Kurt and sighing when he felt the arm he was searching for. Kurt took less than a minute to decide if braving the wrath of the morning nurse was worth spending the night holding Blaine in his arms. It took less than a split second for Kurt to climb back in the bed, careful of the IV lines as he put his arms around Blaine. He kissed him on the nape of his neck, nuzzled down close and closed his eyes.

The next thing he knew, the night nurse was waking him up.

"I'm sorry to wake you, Kurt, but you might want to get up and make it look as if you slept in the cot," she said, winking at him. She slipped back out of the room, closing the door, and Kurt got up. He messed up the sheets on the cot and was just sitting down on a chair as the surgery team entered the room.

"Good morning, Blaine. We're here to prep you for your surgery," a man dressed in scrubs said, smiling at Blaine and checking his wristband.

"Kurt, come hold my hand?" Blaine said, looking at Kurt.

Cooper came in just as Kurt had moved to Blaine's bedside and greeted his brother. The nurse shot something into his IV as another nurse put booties on his feet and a cap on his head.

"It's your big day, Blainers!" he announced and the people in the room began their work. Kurt leaned over to kiss Blaine.

"You're going to be just fine, my love, and I will be right here, waiting for you when you come back. I love you," Kurt said as they wheeled him out on a gurney.

Cooper added his love and Blaine laid back, too afraid to say anything.

"Kurt..." he whispered as the medication took him off to dreamland.


	27. Chapter 27 - Recovery

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Twenty-Seven - Recovery**

Blaine opened his eyes and tried to look around, but his head felt heavy – too heavy to pick up off the pillow.

"Kurt?"

A man in green scrubs came quickly over to his side.

"It's okay, Blaine, you are in the recovery room. You're doing fine, the surgery is all over. How are you feeling?" the nurse asked.

"My tummy...it hurts." Blaine said.

"We can take care of that, honey," the nurse said, stroking Blaine's arm. He hurried away but was back in a moment with a syringe and injected it into Blaine's IV. The euphoric feeling came down like a curtain and Blaine fell back asleep, the monitors attached to him humming away with the assurance that his vital signs were doing well.

The second time he awoke, Blaine asked if his baby was a boy or a girl. Confused, the nurse asked him what baby he was talking about.

"Didn't I just have a baby?" Blaine asked. "It hurts like I did...where's Kurt? Is he happy...?"

The nurse administered another dose of the pain medication. If Blaine hurt like that, he needed the dose.

Almost an hour later, Blaine was once more awake. He tried to see where he was, but all the white confused him. He licked his lips – dismayed that they were chapped and thought to ask Kurt if he could use his chapstick. Looking around, he realized that the walls were all white, the ceiling was white, and there was a white curtain across one side of the tiny space he was in.

"Kurt?" he called, hoping his boyfriend hadn't gone too far. Where was he?

The curtain was pulled back and the man that brought the syringe earlier came through. Blaine felt all of the memories coming back. Of course, he was in the hospital and he'd had his appendix removed.

_He remembered the anesthesiologist telling him the medication in the syringe would make him groggy,. He recalled the strange floating feeling when they wheeled him into the operating room and the people who moved him to the tiny, cold table, his arms on some sort of extensions of the table. Then he watched as the surgeon came in and told him he was going to be fine, the nurses putting something around his upper arm that squeezed as they checked his vital signs. It was like some sort of crazy dream, then the anesthesiologist told him he was going to fall asleep. Blaine tried to fight it, but it was as if a blanket had been thrown over him and he felt himself unable to see and then a feeling like flying and everything went black._

"Blaine? It's okay. You're all right. The surgery went well and you're going to be fine. What's wrong, honey, are you scared?" the man in green asked him.

"Ah...no, I remember what happened. Why is my throat so sore? I need a drink I think," he told the man.

"Sure, I'll get you some ice chips. Your throat is sore because they put a tube down there to keep you breathing. It is a little irritated, but will feel better soon. My name is Aaron, do you remember me?" the man asked.

"Yeah, you gave me a shot?" Blaine asked.

"Yes, in your IV. That was morphine to control the pain. You can have more if you need it. How is your pain level?" he asked.

"It hurts, but not more than it has all week," Blaine answered. He was having problems speaking due to his mouth being so dry. It felt as if his tongue was sticking to the inside of his cheeks and the roof of his mouth. Aaron gave him an ice chip with a spoon and Blaine let it melt on his tongue. That was so good after the dry feeling in his mouth. Aaron gave him several more.

"Thank you," Blaine said, reaching out a hand to feel his stomach.

"Do you want another dose of morphine?" Aaron asked, his face looking concerned.

"No, I want Kurt. Can he come to me?" Blaine asked.

"Is that your brother? He's in the waiting room. I can get him for you," Aaron offered.

"No...Cooper is my brother. Kurt is my boyfriend," Blaine explained. "Can they both come?"

"I'm sorry, but only relatives can come back here in the recovery room. Do you want me to get your brother?"

"Yes, please," Blaine asked, his eyes burning with unshed tears.

"Are you sure about the morphine? It is ordered by your doctor, you can have it if you want," Aaron said. He had been a recovery nurse for over twenty years and could tell when a patient was fighting the need to have pain relief. "Your brother can still come back to you, even if you have the pain shot."

The look on Blaine's face was one of immense relief.

"Yes, it still hurts a lot," he admitted.

Aaron took the syringe out of his breast pocket and pushed the liquid into the IV. The euphoric feeling came back, but Blaine fought the sleep and managed to stay awake, asking once more for ice chips.

Aaron left to get Cooper and Blaine closed his eyes, trying not to cry. He wasn't in pain anymore, but he felt so emotional, so...he didn't know what. He was tired, maybe that was all. He laid back, trying to clear his mind when he felt two pairs of warm arms around his shoulders and a kiss on his cheek. His eyes fluttered open to find Kurt staring into his face. Cooper was holding his hand on the other side of the bed.

"Kurt, they told me you couldn't come back here," Blaine said.

"Don't worry, Dr Nelson okayed it. How are you feeling?" Cooper asked.

"Aaron gave me another dose of the pain medicine, so I'm okay. I'm really thirsty, though," Blaine said.

Kurt turned to Aaron, the question on his lips, but Aaron answered.

"He can have a few more ice chips, then if he's still doing okay he can have a sip of water," the nurse said.

Cooper took the cup of ice chips and fed several spoons of it to Blaine.

"Do I get to take my appendix home in a jar?" Blaine laughed.

"No, Squirt. Those days are long gone. It isn't legal to do that any more," Cooper told him. They had both remembered their grandfather telling them he kept his tonsils in a jar of formaldehyde.

Cooper and Kurt sat beside Blaine, holding his hands and talking to him until he'd been able to drink some water and then eat a piece of toast. Kurt ran his fingers through Blaine's curls and kissed his hand as they waited to be sure Blaine was doing well enough to go back to his room.

"Anyone here need a ride up to the fourth floor?" an orderly asked as she came to take Blaine back to his room.

"Sure," Blaine said, trying to smile at the woman.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

It was late in the evening and Kurt has dozed off in the recliner next to Blaine's bed. Cooper was getting ready to leave for the night.

"You sure you're doing okay, Squirt?" he asked, walking over to sit beside Blaine on his bed.

"Yeah, it really doesn't hurt any more. It kind of aches a little, but it isn't bad," Blaine said.

"You sure it's okay for me to leave?" Cooper asked. "I can stay if you need me, but I think you need Kurt a lot more."

"Don't say it like that – I'll always need you, Coop."

"I know. Blaine, I can see what he means to you. I'm not offended that you need him more now, I'm not. He is your boyfriend – but more than that, he is what you need. It shows in your every action, and the same goes for him. You should have seen him waiting for you to come out of surgery, Blaine. He walked back and forth, wringing his hands and looking paler by the minute. He wouldn't even let me give him a cup of tea – I thought for a while that I was going to have to call a doctor in. You were all he could think about.

"Blaine, he told me that you mean the world to him and I believe it. He must have said he loved you more than life itself a dozen times. He was so out of it, I don't think he even knew I was here. You aren't a little kid anymore, you are almost a grown man and you are making connections that will last your whole life. I love you enough to let you do that. You know that even though I'm losing my childhood playmate, you will _always_ be my brother and I will always love you."

Blaine wiped a tear from his face. He'd be happy to get back to the dorms and be able to get through one day without the tears flowing. He held his arms out and Cooper hugged him - very gently because of his surgery – and patted his back.

"I'll see you tomorrow, kid," he smiled and left.

Blaine sat still for a moment, then pushed the button to lower his bed so he could lie down. He was beyond tired. The pain medication was strong and made him sleepy, but his doctor had told him that they would be weaning him off the shots and switch to pills tomorrow. By the end of the week, he wouldn't need them any more.

Kurt twitched in his sleep, saying something that Blaine couldn't understand. He looked agitated, so Blaine called out to him. He wanted to get up and go to Kurt, but he was supposed to stay in bed for now. He called him again and Kurt roused, looking around him for a moment before concentrating on Blaine.

"Oh...I guess I dozed off. Where is Coop?"

"He went home, which is where you should be," Blaine said. He wanted Kurt to stay with him more than anything, but he knew the boy had been there for two days now and he needed to get his own sleep.

"No, no...I'll stay. I can sleep in the cot again, no problem," Kurt said, coming over to sit in the place Cooper had just left.

"Kurt, I love you and I want you to be with me more than anything, but you need to get a decent night's sleep. Go back to the dorm and take a shower, put on your pajamas and go to sleep. I'll still be here in the morning, I promise," he teased.

Kurt leaned forward and kissed Blaine, their lips meeting and Blaine giving a quiet whine. He wanted Kurt to hold him all night, but he wasn't that selfish.

"No arguments. I am too tired and too sore to spend my time arguing. Go. Home. Now."

"Okay. I do need a shower and a change of clothes. I'll see you in the morning," Kurt conceded. He kissed Blaine one more time, cupped his cheek and told him how much he was loved, and left.

Blaine pushed the button on the morphine machine and let the drug take him off to sleep.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Kurt!"

Kurt stopped and turned in the hallway of his dorm building to see Trent and Jeff rushing towards him.

"How is Blaine?" they said together.

"He's much better. He came through the surgery fine, they let me go sit with him in recovery, and it all looks good. He's mostly sore now and he still has the IV antibiotics to get rid of the infection," Kurt reported. He felt as if he'd been saying those words all day long.

"When can he have visitors?" Trent asked. The Warblers had sent Blaine a large flower arrangement that arrived soon after he was back in his room.

"Maybe tomorrow. They are probably going to let him come home on Wednesday, so four more days," Kurt said. He'd forgotten today was Saturday, the day he had promised to help Carole move into his dad's house.

"Okay, we'll call you first, then only a few of us at a time?" Jeff asked.

"Yeah, that should be fine," Kurt said. He wanted to get under a hot shower, but didn't want to be rude to his friends. He looked at Trent, trying to return his smile, when he realized something else. Both boys were wearing loose-fitting, ripped and stained jeans and dirty T-shirts. That was not what Dalton boys wore. He looked again, his head cocked to the right, trying to figure out something but he was so tired and sleepy he couldn't get it.

"Why are you two dressed like rag-pickers?" he asked. They laughed at the archaic word.

"Hey, my grandmother used to use that word, it is perfectly acceptable," Kurt said, his feathers ruffled.

"No, Kurt – we aren't laughing at you, just that it took you so long to see what we were wearing," Jeff said. "You are the closest thing to the Fashion Police I've ever seen."

Kurt just looked between the two, still puzzled. Then Wes walked by, wearing old clothes that looked as if he'd been painting a house and the house won.

"We were helping a friend today," Trent said, looking at Wes and Jeff. Wes nodded to Trent and he went on.

"You mentioned you had promised to move Carole and Finn into your dad's house. We knew you were with Blaine at the hospital, so the Warblers went and ah...moved her."

Kurt's eyes got huge.

"You guys...you moved her whole house?" he asked, astonished. He had figured it would take several weeks to get everything in storage or moved into Burt's house.

"Yeah...she kept saying we didn't need to do it all, or that she was going to pay us, but we did it to help you. We couldn't take any money for it, it was an act of kindness we told her," Wes said.

"We knew you wouldn't make a half-assed job of it, so we did it right, Kurt," Trent assured his friend.

Kurt was beside himself with gratitude. He felt tears coming and tried to excuse himself to go take a shower, but he didn't want to be rude to these amazing friends.

"Let the poor kid go take his shower and get into bed. You can chat tomorrow," Sebastian said as he walked up, giving Kurt a hug. "Off you go, Hummel. Unless you want me to join you in that shower?" he joked. Kurt said a hurried goodnight to his friends and stepped into his dorm room.

The hot shower could not possibly last long enough. He stayed under the pounding water and scrubbed himself. His mind was so full of thoughts that he was almost dizzy. How kind were his friends to take his obligation and make it their own? He would have to do something for them – maybe bake some goodies. Yes, they would all love that.

His thoughts turned to his father, doing well but what about next time? Was he going to lose his dad just when he needed him the most? Kurt knew it would do no one any good to brood and worry, but he couldn't help it.

And Blaine...poor Blaine. How did he miss knowing that Blaine was so sick? He had only been thinking of himself that night at Indian Lake, withholding himself and his virginity from the boy that he loved more than life. What would be the harm in letting Blaine make love to him? None. It was Kurt being selfish again. He wished his mom was there, she would be able to tell Kurt what to do, or his grandmother. Tears mixed with the hot water splashing off of his skin as he stood under the shower. No amount of soap would fix this.

Kurt finished rinsing his hair for the last time and stepped out of the shower, drying himself briskly and pulling on his flannel pajamas with little kittens on them. Blaine had bought them for him when they were shopping in Columbus one day. Kurt loved them and felt a teeny bit better wearing them now as he pulled the blankets over his shoulder and hugged Blaine's pillow. He was asleep in minutes.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"_Kurt, Kurt! Wake up!" _

_Kurt sat up, looking around at the room he was in. He recognized it as the apartment Andy had given him, but he was lying in Andy and Buddy's bed. He got to his feet, looking down to see he was dressed in a tuxedo. With fuzzy bunny slippers. What?_

"_Buddy, hurry, you don't want to be late to the wedding, do you?" his dad called. _

_Kurt walked into the living room looking for his dad, but all he saw was Murphy, his father's golden retriever, and Buck, Buddy's humongous mutt, sitting on a bench wearing top hats and carnations tucked in their collars. _

_He turned to see Andy was standing at the French doors, the sun shining in and a bright smile on his face. He held out his hand and when Kurt grabbed at it, Andy put his hand in Blaine's. Kurt did a double take – Andy and Blaine could be twins, but he knew the difference. Andy cupped his chin and kissed his cheek, then turned his face to Blaine and did the same. Uncle Buddy came, still young and obviously in love with Andy as he kissed his hand. The two older men smiled at the younger ones and walked out the door – off until they could see them no more. _

_Kurt turned to Blaine, confused and torn, but Blaine was smiling, running his finger down Kurt's cheek and then kissing his neck, so soft, so gentle. Kurt could feel nothing but Blaine's love, as if it were somehow tangible. He moved forward, taking Blaine in his arms and kissing him over and over._

Kurt jerked awake.

"Blaine!" he shouted, and kept on shouting. He was confused. Was that a dream? Was it merely his subconscious telling him something? It seemed straightforward to him – Andy and Buddy wanted him to be with Blaine.

Kurt had only been asleep for a few hours, but he knew he would never be able to get back to sleep now. It was almost one in the morning, but he got dressed, packed a few things in a knapsack, and grabbed his keys. He made sure he had his phone and left to get his car.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Kurt sat on the recliner in Blaine's room. He hadn't had any trouble getting into the hospital – when his dad was in the hospital in Lima, Kurt found out that he could enter through the ER entrance because it was never locked. As long as he looked as if he belonged there, nobody bothered him. It worked at this hospital, too.

Blaine was sleeping, but Kurt could tell it was a very fitful sleep. Blaine would rock back and forth, anxiety pouring from his pores. Kurt had gone over and stroked his cheek, held him close and whispered that he was safe, that Kurt was here with him. That worked several times, but now Blaine seemed to be searching for something, whining and whimpering as he tossed in the bed. It was heartbreaking. Kurt thought to call the nurse, but he was reluctant. He thought he ought to be able to offer better comfort than someone in scrubs that had never met Blaine before.

"Hey, Babe, can you hear me?" Kurt whispered, sitting once again on the side of the bed. Blaine twitched, turning from one side to the other.

"Blaine? Sweetheart, I'm here for you. Baby?" Kurt tried to comfort him.

Blaine opened his eyes.

"Kurt? Are really here, or are you a mirage?"

"Do you see any palm trees? Of course I'm really here, baby."

"Come cuddle with me. I'm cold and lonely – and you looked gorgeous in the tux," Blaine said as he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

"What tux?" Kurt asked.

"The one with the fuzzy bunny slippers," Blaine explained as his eyes remained closed.

"What? _Bunny_ slippers?" Kurt asked, but a soft snore was all the answer he got. He pulled back the covers and slid into bed next to Blaine, tugging him close and putting his arms around him. He let out a contented sigh, nuzzling his face into Blaine's neck.

Kurt was asleep in the blink of an eye.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Blaine woke up when the nurse took his hand to check his bracelet.

"It's okay, Blaine. I'm just going to take your vital signs, you can go back to sleep," she said, smiling at him as she worked around the other body in the bed with him.

"Do you need any more pain medication?" she asked.

"I have the pain pump, but I haven't needed it since yesterday afternoon," he answered. He was feeling much better, just a bit of a sore place over the incisions.

"The orders are to take it off if you're not needing it. I can give you some percoset for the pain. It isn't as strong, but it lasts longer."

"Okay, I'm good with that then," Blaine said. He took the two pills she gave him in a tiny paper cup.

The nurse walked over and felt his tummy, making sure he wasn't in too much pain, then typed a bit into her computer, all without disturbing Kurt. She smiled at the boy, turning to Blaine.

"He's a beautiful man, isn't he?" she asked. Blaine blushed.

"Yes, ma'am. He's the best. I love him so much," Blaine sighed, running his fingers through the chestnut hair and letting a finger trail along his cheek to his jaw and down to his neck. Blaine looked up at the nurse as she spoke to him in a soft voice.

"I could see it, you know. That he _belongs_ to you and you to him. That's why I let him stay. I could see you needed each other for you to heal. He is here to help your body, Blaine, but you are here to heal his mind. Trust that you were meant for each other, stay by his side, Blaine," she said and when he blinked his sleepy eyes she was gone. Had he just nodded off? He thought so, he was that tired, but maybe...

Blaine settled his body back into the blankets, Kurt squirming to get closer to him. Kurt's fingers reached up, running through his curls in the comforting gesture that he had come to know. He felt Kurt as his body heat warmed Blaine's chilly chest, kissing his jaw and down to nuzzle into Blaine's neck to keep himself warm.

Blaine smiled, knowing that Kurt loved him as much as he loved Kurt. In spite of the dreams, he was tired and sleepy. He closed his eyes, at ease and comfortable in the fact that Kurt was here with him, here where he belonged. With Kurt nestled so close beside him, he wasn't afraid of the dreams.

"I love you, Kurt," Blaine murmured.

"I love you, too," whispered the sleepy boy next to him.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"I had the same dream. Well, almost," Blaine burst out. Kurt had been telling Blaine about the strange dream that led to him coming to the hospital in the middle of the night.

"Tell me what we were wearing," Kurt asked, his voice soft and afraid.

"We had top hats and blue carnations pinned to the lapels. Even the dogs had top hats and flowers..." Blaine started to say. Kurt just sat and stared.

"Do I talk in my sleep?" he asked.

"No. Oh, you thought you had told me? No, baby, I was asleep until around four when the nurse came to take away the pain pump. They switched me to pills so I can go home," Blaine explained. He was glad to get away from the subject of dreams.

"Good. The sooner you're home the better. I miss you so much," Kurt said.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

The doctor came in, a bright smile on his face.

"How are you feeling this morning, Blaine?"

"Much better. I am doing fine on the pills instead of the pump," he bragged.

"Well, I think you will probably be able to return home today. I need to speak with Dr. Radosovich, but I think we are of the same mind."

Blaine smiled. The doctor felt his belly, asked a few questions and told Blaine when he could return to his office to have the staples removed. He shook both boys' hands and left to process the dismissal paperwork.

Cooper came in just as the surgeon was leaving.

"Hey, Squirt. Kurt. It's good to see the two of you. How did you do last night, Blaine?" Cooper asked, going to stand by his brother and lift the hem of the hospital gown to look at the bandages over the incisions.

"Hey, you could ask you know!" Blaine said in an indignant tone, smacking his brother's hands away and pulling the thin gown over his knees and pulling up the blanket.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, little brother, I was just checking. I saw Dr Nelson in the hall. He said you were probably going home today. I think you need to come to the house, not back to your dorm. Next Monday is the start of winter break anyway. What do you say?" Coop asked. He was excited about having real snow for Christmas.

Blaine smiled a little, his brother's excitement was contagious. But his eyes kept looking at Kurt.

"You are invited, too, Kurt," Cooper added.

"That sounds wonderful. I need to spend some of the time with my dad, but I think it would be great. Thank you for inviting me," Kurt said

"Cool. I know where all the decorations are! We can do the whole house," Cooper grinned.

"Not without me!" Blaine shouted good naturedly.

"I would love to come over and help decorate!" Kurt said. In his opinion, Christmas decorating was one of most fun he's ever had. He only wished Uncle Andy was there to help. The mental image of Andy smiling at Kurt came to him, but he only wished they had been given more time together. He missed Andy.


	28. Chapter 28 - Breaking Down

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Twenty-Eight – Breaking Down**

It was the week of the competition in Chicago and Blaine was excited to go. He had been to Ohio before, but the trip to such a large city sounded like fun. He had been back to classes the past two days and was feeling fine with the small exception of a recurring soreness at the site of the surgery. The calendar on the wall had red Xs, counting off the days until the competition. They had two days left.

"I'm so ready for this!" he crowed as he got out of his Jaguar after Warbler practice.

"I'm glad. I think it's going to be a great time," Kurt grinned. "I've been to Chicago lots of times, so maybe we can find a few things to do while we're there. They walked up the steps to the front door of the Anderson mansion, Blaine searching in his pocket for his keys. He came up with them and opened the door, waving Kurt in ahead of him.

They walked up the staircase, hand in hand, and sat down on the bed in Blaine's room.

"I've wanted to do this all day," Kurt said, kicking off his shoes and pushing Blaine back on the bed, kissing him as he wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck. Blaine kissed back, shifting so he was pressing himself on top of Kurt. It started passionately, both boys eager to do what they had merely daydreamed about all day.

Kurt was concentrating on kissing, taking time to run his hands down Blaine's sides and to kiss along his jaw, detouring to his mouth before his lips made their way to his neck. Kurt was not the type to mark his boyfriend, he considered hickeys to be low-class and tacky. They had argued a bit over the first and only one Blaine gave Kurt, even though it was closer to his collarbone and not visible under his shirts. Kurt had not gotten too upset, but he did let Blaine know in no uncertain terms that they were not something Kurt wanted. Considering all the places Blaine was allowed to go with his tongue, he had taken Kurt's wishes to heart and hadn't done it again.

Kurt could feel just how excited Blaine was – he was hard and rutting against Kurt as they kissed. Kurt was hard, too, and had been most of the afternoon. Warbler practice was the worst as he was in the second row and thus behind Blaine in formation. Blaine had taken off his blazer and Kurt could see that fine ass as they practiced the choreography for the competition. His cock had ached for an hour in the stuffy room, causing Kurt to make several mis-steps while trying to contain himself. No amount of picturing unpleasant images would make the heat leave, and so afterwards he had hurried them across the campus to the parking lot to Blaine's car to get here for some privacy.

"Blaine, can we...maybe..ah...slow down a bit?" Kurt asked, still kissing his neck region. He had been getting worked up for this and now that the time was here, he wanted to take it slow and enjoy every minute.

"Okay," his boyfriend agreed, slowing his rutting down to merely rubbing slowly. "Can we...lose the clothes?" Blaine asked, his eyes taking on that sad puppy look he found so useful in getting his way.

"Oh, no puppy eyes, mister. They do not sway me at all," Kurt stated, althought he knew it was true. "I wanted to take my school uniform off anyway, so no, I'm not letting you have your way because of the eyes."

Blaine coughed trying to smother his own laughter.

"Okay, baby, if you say so," he muttered, rolling his eyes in imitation of Kurt.

"Hey!" Kurt shouted. Blaine sat up, bringing Kurt with him and started to unbutton his shirt and slip off his tie. He was naked from the waist up in no time flat, setting the clothes beside himself on the bed. Then he reached for Kurt, pulling the boy onto his lap to finish getting his tie off and undoing the last few buttons. He began to kiss the naked skin in front of him, curling his arms around Kurt to bring him closer. His hands were warm on Kurt's cool skin, moving slowly for a few moments just to feel the texture of the smooth skin.

"Ah...Bee...oh!" came out of Kurt's mouth as he undid the button on Blaine's slacks. Kurt froze as Blaine kissed just under his ear, licking and then nipping playfully.

"Look what you've done!" Kurt said in a mock horror-stricken voice, pointing to the goose-flesh on his arms and trying to keep his giggles from coming out. "This is not at all attractive."

Blaine just laughed.

They played for a while, each kissing, mouthing, nipping to try and bring out the goose-flesh on the other. Blaine was licking down Kurt's pectoral muscle and came to his nipple. He put his mouth over it and sucked gently, circling and rubbing the other one with his finger for a moment. Kurt gasped and gave Blaine a gentle love bite on his shoulder. He moaned, his hands tightening around Blaine's wrists.

Taking that as encouragement, Blaine moved his hand to touch Kurt's slacks, softly caressing Kurt's cock through his pants. The moaning got louder and Kurt found himself sucking at a place on the tender skin of Blaine's neck. He stopped, looking quickly to be sure he hadn't left a bruise. He didn't, but the sounds coming from Blaine were sinful.

Blaine stopped stimulating Kurt for a moment and reached to finish undoing his own pants and pull them off, followed by his briefs. Kurt did the same, folding his uniform slacks to set on the night table. Standing at the foot of the bed, Blaine just gazed at Kurt's beautiful body, now on display in front of him.

Kurt had practiced perfect posture since he read his first Vogue magazine. He was not ashamed of his body and would copy the models he saw in the glamor magazine and now it was just subconscious to maintained a self-confident stature. It was second nature to him and didn't stop just because he was sitting or lying down.

He didn't even know he was doing it, but Blaine's gaze on him pushed Kurt to make himself look his best, to preen and bring forth his best assets with a self-confidence that wasn't typical in a 17 year old school boy. That self-confidence was the sexiest thing Blaine had ever seen and he had to have his hands on Kurt. It was like a hunger, this drive to have Kurt – to take care of him, to love him, to earn his respect and love in return.

Blaine let himself down on his bed next to Kurt. He turned sideways to see Kurt and pulled the boy closer.

"You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life, Kurt," he whispered, touching his boyfriend all over with his spread-out fingers. Kurt practically purred under the flattery. He knew he was not as good looking as Blaine claimed, but it was nice to hear the words.

"Come here, my love," Kurt coaxed, patting the bed and Blaine rolled over to be closer to Kurt. He was pressing against Blaine's naked body and gasping in surprise at how warm Blaine's skin was. He pressed harder, anxious to feel every inch of that warm skin.

"Come? Ah...you want me to come?" Blaine teased him.

"You know what I meant, Blaine Anderson," Kurt said, pretending to be tough and no nonsense. Blaine just giggled and rolled over on top of Kurt and pinning his hands above his head on the mattress. He leaned in for a romantic kiss.

They kissed for a while, enjoying the feel of warm skin touching warm skin. Then Kurt started to kiss down Blaine's body, his hands busy caressing his boyfriend. Blaine moaned and whispered loving words to Kurt, meaning every one of them.

"Kurt...stop a second," Blaine asked, his legs trembling as Kurt wrapped his hand around Blaine's shaft.

Kurt stopped and looked up. Blaine moved to the side of the bed, rummaging in the drawer of the nightstand, then moving to look in the cubbyholes of the headboard. He found what he was looking for and came back, kissing Kurt as he popped open the top of the lubricant. Kurt watched as he dripped it onto his fingers and then gently pushed Kurt back to a lying position.

In between deep kisses, Blaine positioned his hand near Kurt's shapely ass and whispered to him.

"Are you ready for this?"

Kurt jumped as Blaine accidentally brushed his cheek, but recovered quickly.

"I...I think so?" he sounded very unsure of himself.

"Ah...all you have to say is no, Babe, and I will respect that," Blaine said. He wanted to move forward with what they were doing but he detected some hesitation in his boyfriend. He decided to ask and see what happened.

"We can stop here, Kurt. I don't want to push you. Just say the word.." Blaine said, believing he had made himself clear, but Kurt kept looking at him with puzzlement in his eyes.

"I...I don't know," Kurt whispered, closing his eyes and turning his head away. He wanted to please Blaine, and he had liked all the things they had done so far – but this was something he was very afraid of. He hadn't told Blaine that and he was regretting not telling him now. Was this the time, when Blaine was poised to place his fingers when Kurt was so scared?

"You don't know? Haven't you ever thought about it?" Blaine asked, "Or done it to yourself?"

Kurt's eyes widened and his mouth fell open.

"Do it to myself? No! Why would I do that?" he asked, panic on his face.

Blaine looked at him in astonishment.

"Because it feels good."

Kurt moved back without thinking.

"Ah...I never thought...ah...wait. Have _you_ done it?" he asked.

"Yes. It feels good, Kurt. I know you masturbate, I've seen you," he smiled. "This is similar. Don't you want to try it? Aren't you curious?"

Kurt backed up a little more. He glanced down to see he had gone flaccid.

"Maybe this isn't the right time, Blaine. I might need to think about it," Kurt said. Blaine reached over to wipe his dripping hand on the towel he'd set on the nightstand. He sighed.

"Do you want to go downstairs and get something to eat? Maybe talk a little about this?" he asked.

Kurt blushed. He didn't want to talk about it. He didn't want to think about it. He just wanted to have a yawning hole open in the floor for him to fall into and never come back. What kind of a boyfriend was he if he balked at something that most gay men found erotic and stimulating? He'd read about fingering, but never given very much thought about it at all. He looked back at Blaine and saw what he interpreted as frustration and irritation on his face. Kurt panicked.

He got off the bed and ran into the bathroom, locking the door. He sat down on the cold tile floor and let loose the tears that had been building up since he realized what Blaine wanted of him. He was sobbing so loudly that he didn't hear Blaine get up and sit on the other side of the door.

"Kurt? Baby?" he said, feeling so badly that he didn't know what to say. He hadn't thought that through and he was so upset with himself that he wanted to apologize to Kurt and make everything all right again.

Kurt just sat on the floor, his knees pulled up to his chin, his arms resting on them as he buried his face. How could he have freaked out? This was Blaine for god's sake. His boyfriend, his lover, his fucking soulmate. Damn it. How was he going to fix this when the very thought of opening the door had him shaking?

"Kurt, open the door, I just want to talk!" Blaine pleaded. He sat there for ten minutes, listening while Kurt's tears and sobs failed to stop for even a moment.

"Kurt? Can you hear me?" No answer but a few hiccups.

"You're going to catch cold. I'm going down to the kitchen and make some hot tea. Please come out and at least put some clothes on, okay?" Blaine asked, but really, he didn't expect an answer. He got to his feet and went to the dresser, got out clothes and pulled them on. He hesitated for a moment, then walked to the bathroom door once again.

"I'm leaving now. I love you, Kurt."

"I love you, too," Kurt said, but he whispered it so quietly that Blaine didn't hear it.

With Blaine gone, Kurt realized how naked he was -and how cold. He was shivering. Standing up, he put his ear to the door and when he heard nothing, he opened the door and searched out some warm clothes: flannel-lined jeans and a cream long-sleeved henley, then added a cashmere sweater that Blaine had bought for him in a cornflower blue to match his eyes. He was out of socks for some reason, so he raided Blaine's drawer and put on a striped multi-colored pair. The socks made him smile. Blaine always wore either no socks at all or some outlandish, bizarre colored or patterned socks. He had ones with lobsters on them, foxes, moose, and penguins. He had them in every shade in the crayon box. He had socks with toes, kind of like gloves for his feet. This cute quirk was just one more of the things Kurt loved so much about him.

He imagined he could smell the tea warming downstairs. He couldn't really, it was through at least three sets of doors and down a flight of stairs, but the idea of the comforting tea was enough to make him walk down to the kitchen.

Entering the large, homey kitchen, Kurt looked around. No Blaine. He could see that he'd been there, making the tea because he hadn't put the things away. Maybe he was in the parlor? Or the music room? Kurt went to find him. He wasn't in the front parlor or the back, he wasn't in the music room. Oh, Kurt thought as he exited the blue room – he had to be in the place he found most comforting.

Walking down the hall, Kurt could smell the tea. It smelled like home and his grandmother. Reaching up to open the door to the library, he had such a feeling of comfort come over him he almost fell.

"Kurt!" Blaine shouted, rushing to put his arm under Kurt's to keep him from falling. He led the boy to the sofa and coaxed him to sit.

"Hey, are you okay?" Blaine asked, his face showing his deep concern.

"Blaine...you shouldn't have tried to help me! You just had major surgery!" Kurt shouted, so worried that he might have hurt Blaine that he didn't think to keep his emotions in check.

"I'm fine, Kurt. Don't worry, I promise I'm fine. How are you? Are you sick, baby?"

"No. I just...that smell. It smells like the tea Grandma used to make. That has to be Bewley's Gold Blend," he said, leaning forward to pour first Blaine and then himself a cup. He saw the small pitcher sitting on the tea tray and raised his eyebrows, looking at Blaine.

"Milk?" he asked and Blaine nodded. Kurt poured the milk into his cup and added a generous amount of sugar. Taking the first sip, a wonderful feeling of comfort and peace came over him.

"How did you know? Where did you find Bewley's – in _Ohio_?" Kurt asked, still reeling in amazement.

"I asked your dad one of the first times we were visiting. I asked him what I could get you for a small present that had meaning for you. I meant to give it to you for Christmas, but I thought you needed it now," Blaine explained. "I ordered it on line a few weeks ago."

Blaine dared to touch him, his fingers resting lightly on the sweater-covered forearm. Kurt turned and smiled at him and fireworks went off inside of Blaine.

"So, can I expect colcannon and soda bread for supper?" Kurt kidded, naming two traditional Irish dishes. Blaine laughed, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Kurt...I'm so, so sorry. I hope you know I would never want to hurt you, or to make you uncomfortable. You know that, don't you?" Blaine asked. Kurt sat for a while, the heels of his hands pressing into his eyes as he tried to calm his anxiety and form a coherent answer.

"Yes...in my heart I'm as sure of your love as I am of anything in this world, Blaine. I don't know what happened to me, or why I panicked. I don't..." Kurt put his head down and closed his eyes. How could he have messed up like this?

"Kurt...can I..can I hug you?" Blaine asked, so afraid he'd be turned down.

"Yes," Kurt said and turned towards his boyfriend, cuddling close to his side as Blaine's strong arms went around his shoulders. If the tea hadn't calmed him enough, this closeness with Blaine did. He let out a sigh and snuggled closer, his arms around Blaine's waist and his face buried in his neck.

"Are we okay?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah...yeah, we are."

When the tea was done and Blaine had made them a light supper – just a salad and grilled cheese sandwiches with glasses of lemonade. They walked up the stairs and back to the bedroom. Kurt stopped – there on the bed was the bottle of lube and their clothes strewn among the messed up sheets. Blaine gasped. How could he have forgotten to clean this up?

"Kurt, let's go. Here..." he led the boy to another of the many rooms on this floor. He opened the curtains over the French doors and led Kurt to a chair. "Just...stay here and enjoy the garden for a few moments. I'll be right back."

He was gone for quite a while, long enough for Kurt to find a lap quilt on one of the beds because in spite of his sweater he was chilly when the sky darkened. Although it was December, it had been an unseasonably warm winter so far this year. He watched the birds at the fountain, the peacocks strutting around the lawn, and a gray tiger-striped cat try to catch one of them. The poor cat was discovered and chased away by the bird's punishing beak.

Blaine finally returned.

"Is...is everything okay?" he asked, seeming to expect the worse. He stood behind the chair, his arms rubbing Kurt's shoulders in an attempt to comfort him.

"Of course! Well, not so much for that foolish cat that keeps chasing the peacocks, but otherwise...yes," Kurt giggled.

The relief Blaine felt from just that little giggle was tremendous. He held out a hand and Kurt rose to go with him back to his jungle of a bedroom.

As Kurt had suspected, the room was clean and spotless. The bed made and covers pulled down for when they went to bed. A book was lying on the bed, the bookmark in place. They were still not done with The Fault In Our Stars.

"I think it's my turn to read?" Blaine suggested. Kurt smiled and went to the dresser to pull out a pair of his pajamas – the ones with kittens chasing balls of yarn on them. Blaine was beside him, keeping with the theme and pulling out his own puppy chasing a ball on his. While most of the year they both wore silk for bed, it had turned colder at night outside and so flannel was called for.

To Blaine's dismay, Kurt went into the bathroom and locked the door to change. Blaine felt guilty while he changed into his own pajamas, but there wasn't anything more he could do to try and repair their formerly easygoing relationship. Blaine counted himself lucky that Kurt was willing to lie in bed with him to read. He could see that he was going to have to go to extreme measures to win Kurt's trust back.

The two boys lay on the bed, Blaine reading the final chapter of the book. Kurt was cuddled against him, his head cradled on Blaine's shoulder and his arm over Blaine's chest. Both boys were trying not to let the book upset them, but the sad death of Gus was affecting them more than either had anticipated.

"Life is so cruel sometimes," Kurt lamented. He had thought the book would end on a happy note, but it didn't. He had experienced enough death in his short life and he wouldn't have read this book if he had known the outcome. Blaine set the book down, gathering Kurt close and just let him cry. It seemed like a day for crying.

"I know, baby. It made you think of your mom, didn't it?" he asked.

"Yeah. I worry sometimes that I'm forgetting her. Forgetting the way she looked, how she did her hair, what her favorite poem was. I can hear her, though. Before she died, she had left a message on the phone and I saved it. I can still call and listen to the messages and her voice is there. It was one of those old message answering machines with the cassettes? I still have it and I can _hear_ her. I never told Dad – I don't know if it would be a good thing to tell him at this late date, but when I felt my very worst I would listen to her saying she wouldn't be home until late because she was helping at the church with a fund raising supper. She says she'll be home soon and she loves us. I used to get sad when I listened, but more and more I feel this spark of happiness when I listen. It has been ten long years since I lost her, but it seems so much longer," Kurt told him. Blaine wrapped his arms closer around Kurt and kissed his head.

"I'm so sorry you lost your mother, Kurt. Death affects us all, but to lose your mother when you are still so young – eight? – that is so unfair. Is there anything I can do? I will buy flowers and take you to her grave if that would make you feel any better?" Blaine offered.

"Although I appreciate your kind gesture, it was a long time ago and I've come to terms with her death. There is no point to spending the rest of my life moping about it when nothing could ever bring her back. One day I just made the decision to pick myself up, learn to be positive, and now memories of her are happy ones. I feel blessed to have had as long with her as I did."

Blaine leaned closer, kissing Kurt's cheek to comfort him.

"I used to go visit her grave," Kurt continued, "I'd talk to her as if she were standing there beside me. It was a good thing for a while, but something changed and it didn't feel right any more. _She_ wasn't there. It was just the remains of her body, burnt to ashes and that stopped being a comfort a long time ago. My Grandmother would take me with her to deliver baked things to the shut-ins, which was something my mom used to do before she got sick. That seemed like a way to be close to Mom again. When my Grandma died, I stopped doing it."

Kurt stopped to look over at Blaine, who had shifted in the bed once again. Now Blaine was lying on his stomach, his head resting on his crossed arms while he watched Kurt. When Kurt stopped, Blaine reached over to take his hand.

"I didn't have many friends at McKinley, so one day I saw the advertisement for Volunteer Angels at the nursing home and I went to try and feel closer to my mother. She was always helping people and I wanted to be a good person like that," Kurt said, stopping to take a sip of water and regroup his thoughts.

"It was such a reward. I met Andy and my life changed for the better from the moment I met him. I miss him so much..." Kurt stopped to rest for a moment. He was just making himself worse, so he turned into Blaine's warm embrace once again.

They stayed that way for a while, just being together, until the grandfather clock in the hall tolled ten o'clock.

"We better get some sleep. Are you okay, Kurt?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah, I am. Sometimes I let myself have a pity party, but hopefully it's done now. I don't feel tired at all, I hope I can fall asleep."

"I need to go lock up and things. Why don't you lie down under the warm blankets and I'll be back in a jiffy, okay?"

"Sure, that sounds good," Kurt said, forcing a smile onto his lips.

It was about half an hour later when Blaine walked back into the bedroom, the silver tea tray in his hands. He put it down on the bedside table and slid into bed next to Kurt.

"Ohh...something smells delicious!" Kurt crowed, his eyes sparkling.

"I made you hot chocolate, my love. I thought it would be a good ending to the day with all the cold weather and all," Blaine explained. Kurt gave him a genuine smile and reached for a mug of cocoa.

They drank it slowly, stirring their cups with peppermint sticks, not talking but smiling at each other. It was a comfortable silence and Kurt was getting sleepy now. His mug finished, he placed it carefully back on the tray next to Blaine's. He leaned back on his boyfriend's chest, loving the arm that held him.

"I'll take the tray down in the morning. We don't have class tomorrow with the teacher planning day, so maybe we could do something. Do you know how to skate?" Blaine asked.

"I haven't been near a pair of skates since I broke my wrist falling on the ice when I was eleven. However, I'm willing to try again if you don't mind towing me around the rink," Kurt said.

"I was thinking about a pond. There is one just outside town we could go to. We can go and see if it's open yet, okay?" Blaine suggested.

"Yeah, it does sound like fun. Goodnight, my sweet prince," Kurt said, giving Blaine a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodnight..." Blaine said back, his heart hurting because of the cheek kiss. Since when do they not kiss goodnight on the mouth? Kurt must still be harboring some anger if that is what Blaine got. It wasn't about the kiss really, it was about what the kiss meant. He turned over to face the door, not even attempting to cuddle with Kurt any more. He wasn't about to ask for any more hurtful dismissals from his boyfriend.

Kurt was pulling the blankets up a bit and straightening the wrinkles before lying down. By the time he was ready, Blaine had turned away from him. They never slept that way, not since they started bunking together in the first weeks of school when he met Blaine. Somehow he had once again screwed things up. He was not going to beg, so he turned away from Blaine and closed his eyes. He hoped he could fall asleep now.

Three hours later, Kurt was still awake. He had dozed off a few times only to be woken up with bad dreams or an aching joint. He glanced each time to see if Blaine was awake or if he had turned back towards Kurt, but no. He was still facing the door. Kurt got out of the bed as quietly as he could and went to the restroom, then tried to sneak back into bed without disturbing Blaine.

"You can't sleep either?" Blaine asked. Kurt jumped a mile.

"You startled me! I thought you were asleep and I didn't want to disturb you," Kurt said.

"Sorry. I haven't been to sleep tonight. I just...I think maybe I need to apologize again or something? Kurt, this is exasperating. What did I do now?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You...kissed me on my cheek as if I were your grandfather, then turned away from me. I thought we were okay, but..?" Blaine said, his voice sounding as if he were about to break down.

Kurt rushed to pull his boyfriend into his arms.

"No...we're good. I thought you didn't want me to snuggle with you..." Kurt said, bewildered as to how this got so messed up.

"We are? We're good? I thought you were angry with me, that you thought I was trying to force you?" Blaine said, his eyes locked on Kurt's.

Kurt sighed. He took the glass of water beside the bed and took a big drink, then offered it to Blaine. He took a drink and they sat, backs against the headboard. Blaine reached over and took Kurt's hand, kissing his knuckles.

"I think we need to talk this out. Are you okay doing that tonight or if you're sleepy we can talk in the morning. It is pretty late," Blaine started. Kurt squeezed his hand.

"I really want to solve this tonight. I think we got our wires crossed and the sooner we fix it the better. I don't like to fight and I hate it that we're not together on this. Blaine, I don't want to lose you. I don't want to live without you," Kurt said, looking into Blaine's eyes.

"Okay, first, can you tell me what happened when I was...touching you?" Blaine asked, his hand trembling a little.

"I was just so inside my head, enjoying your kisses, getting close to you. I guess I just wasn't ready – didn't expect..." Kurt blushed. He didn't know if he could talk about this.

"Hey, calm down. Kurt, it's just me here. You are safe, baby, you're always safe with me," he coaxed Kurt. "Come close, let me hold you and we can get through this. I don't want to lose you, either, baby."

"I'm calm, my Blaine. We can talk," he assured his boyfriend.

"Why did you get so scared? I mean when I was touching you?" Blaine asked.

"I was...oh, this is hard," Kurt whined.

"Not as hard as you were then," Blaine tried to get Kurt to laugh. He got a smile from the boy, but he could still see that Kurt was upset.

"Is it that you don't want to be fingered? Or was it that I was so surprised that you had never done it to yourself?"

"I was just...I am...scared. I have read about it and I know it can hurt. As much as I love you, it has always been something I was afraid of. I just wasn't prepared for you to...do that," Kurt breathed.

"Oh, I wish I'd have known that. You did it to me – remember, the night by Indian Lake? Kurt, it felt good. Really good."

"The whole time? Because I didn't think you liked it at first," Kurt said, his head down.

"It's strange at first, but seeing your face and all your kisses, it wasn't much time before it did feel really good, Kurt. Maybe I should leave you to try it yourself? I can go sleep in another bedroom and you can stay here and experiment? If you do that, you can guide me to give you what you want, baby," Blaine suggested.

Kurt just stared at him.

"Are you joking? I'm not doing that, I ...I just can't," Kurt squeaked.

Blaine pulled him close and kissed his neck, rubbing his fingers down his back as he whispered, "Baby, I would never hurt you. You believe that, don't you?"

"Yes. I do know that. I don't know why I panicked. Can you just...hold me? I need you, Blaine."

"Yes, baby, come here and I'll hold you all night."

"Thank you. I feel safe in your arms, safe from the dreams, safe from everything bad," Kurt whispered, closing his eyes as he laid his head on Blaine's chest to hear his heartbeat.

"Goodnight, Kurt."

"...night..." Kurt said as he fell into a relaxing sleep.

Blaine sat up, holding his Kurt and kissing his chestnut hair, keeping him safe.


	29. Chapter 29 - Earning Trust

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Twenty-Nine - Earning Trust**

**Midnight, Dorm Room at Dalton**

Kurt thrashed in the bed, almost pushing Blaine to the floor. The startled boy sat up, looking to see what was amiss. Kurt was still moving, his voice a high whine and his hands clutching the blankets.

Blaine tried to get hold of him to try and calm him down as he wondered what exactly was the cause of this nocturnal explosion. He knew Kurt had been having dreams, some of them the same dreams Blaine himself had been having, but he needed to wake the poor boy up and get him back to his senses before he could get any answers.

As Blaine attempted to get his arms around his boyfriend, Kurt pushed his hand under the waistband of his pajama pants and grabbed his hard erection...

**Earlier that evening...**

Kurt had fallen asleep quickly this time. His mind had been in a state of chaos, the emotions coming and going and swirling in patterns. He had told himself very sternly that he was going to have a calm sleep and then wake up rested and in a better frame of mind. Instead, a few hours after falling asleep:

_Kurt was walking through the backyard of the Anderson mansion. It was almost dark, the sun had begun slipping behind the edge of the Earth but Kurt was on a mission to bring flowers to Blaine. Carrying a wicker basket, some rose shears, and gardening gloves to protect his hands from thorns he hurried his step to find the perfect roses before the sun disappeared altogether. The rose bed that contained his favorite fragrant peach, ginger, and peace roses was towards the back of the garden, so he walked quietly along the path to avoid being chased or pinched by the aggressive peacock that roamed the yard, protecting his harem of peahens._

_As he walked by the gazebo, he heard an interesting noise. It sounded like two men whispering. In real life, Kurt had the manners not to disturb others when they were having a private conversation, but Dream Kurt seemed to be missing those instincts. He crept closer, almost crawling along the far side of the gazebo, until he could see what was going on. _

_There sat Buddy and Andy, cuddled close on the padded seat of a large chaise lounge. It was easily large enough to hold the couple with room left over._

_Kurt could see now that this was a romantic encounter and in spite of his conscious telling him that he should leave immediately, he stayed and almost held his breath when Andy pulled Buddy close and kissed him. A sexy moan came from Buddy as he kissed Andy deeper and began unbuttoning his shirt. Andy took the idea and followed suit, the two of them shirtless in just a few minutes. The lust showed on the faces of both men, hot and sexy and undeniable._

"_Buddy, come closer, honey, kiss me deeper...I want your tongue now, pleaseee," Andy begged. Kurt was blushing and he could feel the tingling of his blood as it kept on, the blush going all over his face and neck, the prickle of blood was felt on his skin, even his ears were hot. This was unusual because he was also feeling cold in spite of the warm weather._

_Buddy obeyed, locking his mouth on Andy's and Kurt could see the muscles of his neck and jaw moving under his skin. Kurt could hear their panting breath, the gasps as they explored their bodies. Andy was unbuttoning Buddy's jeans, then helping him out of them. Buddy returned the favor, licking and kissing across Andy's chest._

"_Did you bring the oil?" he mumbled into Andy's ear, then took the lobe in his teeth and nibbled at it. _

"_Yeah...it's over there, under the cushion at the end of the chaise," Andy said before moaning at the stimulation on his ear lobe. Buddy shifted his weight, reaching over to get the small bottle of mineral oil._

"_Andy...please, can you?" Buddy begged, pulling back to look into Andy's eyes as if he were afraid of the answer._

"_Buddy, of course. My god, I have wanted this as much as you have, maybe longer...but are you going to be okay with this? I know we've talked, but I thought you were still hesitant?" Andy whispered in his lover's ear. Buddy's skin was covered with gooseflesh and he trembled in Andy's arms._

_Kurt felt even more chilly – although it must be 85 degrees this evening. He shifted his spot to get a closer look at these two men and what they were doing. It was strange, Kurt was feeling the same way he did when Blaine had kissed him and they let themselves lose all of their inhibitions. It was exhilarating and puzzling at the same time. He swallowed several times and licked his lips. The thought that he was a voyeur in this scenario never crossed his mind._

_The two in the gazebo went back to their kissing, but by this time both men were naked and touching each other with deliberate intention. Andy caressed Buddy's back, slowly moving down his spine. _

"_Lay down on your back, honey," Andy said, gently pushing his lover into the seat of the chaise, kissing his chest as they shifted into comfortable positions. Andy took the bottle of mineral oil and dripped quite a bit of it onto his hand. Buddy was squirming underneath his lover, trying to rub his erection on Andy's leg. He was still a bit apprehensive – a feeling that was blooming in Kurt's mind, too._

"_Calm down, love, I'm here. Now, this might be a little bit cold but it will warm up quickly," he said, shifting once again to give his fingers a clear path to his destination. Buddy shifted his weight, but didn't pull away. Andy stroked Buddy's legs with his dry hand for a moment. "Move your legs open, honey..."_

_The look on Buddy's face was only a small bit more shocked than Kurt's. As Kurt watched Andy stroke Buddy's hard cock, he realized he was holding his own. He might be stroking it even, but the feeling was so intense that he considered leaving to find a deserted place to bring himself some relief. He discarded that idea almost immediately – he was going to see this through._

"_Andy...oh...yesss," Buddy whispered. His agitation masked with the breathy words._

_Andy was rubbing his fingers around Buddy's entrance, the oil making it slick and warm. Buddy was so tense that his muscles were standing out in profile and Kurt could see every movement. He even imagined he could feel it - Andy's finger swirling around his hole. Kurt gasped, his hands flying to his mouth to cover the noise. It appeared as if neither of the lovers had heard him in their lust because they didn't stop, didn't even glance his way._

_Kurt tried to move to a new position because the way he was crouched, it was causing pressure on his ass and he was reacting to the stimulus. That was what he told himself anyway. He better hold his cock so he wouldn't inadvertently whine or make any other sound._

_Andy was pressing harder and Buddy was moaning, then his eyes closed and he was panting to catch his breath while Andy breached the sphincter muscle and entered him. Buddy almost bucked him off, the feeling was so astonishing. _

"_Andy...Andy...oh, please, is there more? Say there's more..." Buddy wailed, subconsciously moving his legs farther apart to let Andy in further._

_Kurt had to lie down now, he didn't need to peer through the darkness to try to see what the lovers were up to, he realized he was feeling everything Buddy was feeling and his reaction, while mixed with trepidation and a more than a bit of fear, was the same. He wanted Andy to move faster, to try to fit a second finger in. He didn't have to wait long. When Kurt felt the added finger, he moaned aloud, smacking his hand across his mouth to keep them from hearing him._

_Once again they didn't seem to know he was there and kept on with their love making. Kurt was now on his back, his hand down his shorts as the elastic stretched taut with the pressure of Kurt's arm under it. He didn't notice that at all, the only thing he was aware of was the craving for Andy to do more. Kurt kept his hard cock in his hand, just barely stroking it as all his senses were gathered to feel what Andy was doing to Buddy._

"_Oh, my god, Andy..." Buddy moaned. In the back of his mind, he remembered something he had read in one of the contraband magazines: that when doing this there was a place where a gland could be rubbed and it would bring...Oh! Yes, there! Maybe Andy read the same magazine...then Buddy's mind left all conscious thought and the rising heat inside of him took over anything he might be thinking. It had felt so good already, but this...this was so beyond what he had ever imagined..._

_Kurt was gasping from the feeling. He had been contemplating how it was that he was feeling all the physical things being done to Buddy, and he wondered briefly if he was going to be feeling the emotional ones. So far it was limited to physical, but that was as far as Kurt thought because the warmth curling around his spine, the roil deep inside his belly, pushed out all thoughts of a speculative nature. No, it was all physical and Kurt stopped trying to understand and just let himself _feel.

"_Andy...there, there, THERE..." his lover shouted as Andy's third finger slid its way into Buddy and his own hand went to his cock to gently stroke it as the heat built up to its limit. He was so overwhelmed he went silent as his orgasm crested and he was gripping the pad and frame of the chaise lounge, every muscle in his body taut and shaking._

_Kurt was experiencing the same thing. His body recognized how to respond to this and he was ejaculating, the warm semen spilling from his clenched hand, dripping between his fingers and running down his belly to the gravel path where Kurt lay._

_~ KB ~_

Blaine sat up, staring now at Kurt as he moaned and clutched at himself, his hand pumping vigorously under the blanket. He was twisting in the bed and crying out.

"Kurt...what's wrong, baby?" Blaine asked, although he had an inkling what was going on. Kurt's movements slowed and he lay limp on the bed, crying in his sleep.

Blaine scooted closer, lying down and gathering Kurt to his side, cuddling him in his arms as the boy continued to twitch and shake for a few moments. He finally settled down when Blaine stroked his cheek, whispering that he was fine, there wasn't anything here to hurt him.

Kurt opened his eyes, still blind to who he was with and spoke in a broken voice:

"Andy? Andy, where did you go? Buddy? Come back..."

"Kurt, what's going on? Are you alright?" Blaine asked as he kissed his forehead, still stroking his face.

Kurt shook his head, his eyes coming into focus.

"Oh...Blaine? Is Andy here?" Kurt asked, sounding desperate.

"No, baby. Don't you remember? Andy died, you were with him," Blaine said, then regretted saying it so bluntly. Kurt looked about to break down.

"Oh, Kurt...it's okay. I know you miss him, but he's in a better place now," Blaine tried to placate him. He may not believe in heaven, but it might comfort Kurt.

"He's...yeah, I know. He died, but Blaine, he's with Buddy now. I saw them..." Kurt said, as though convincing Blaine was the most important thing on his mind.

"I know, baby, I've seen them in my dreams, too."

They sat together for a few minutes, just sharing the time and thinking. Kurt settled his hand in his lap and jumped.

"Ewww..." he gasped. He'd felt the dampness in his pajamas and realized what it was. "I'll be right back," he promised and got out of bed, stopping by his dresser before going into the bathroom. Blaine heard the shower start and followed him.

"Hey, Kurt...is everything okay?" he asked.

"Ah...yeah...I'll be out in a few minutes and we can maybe drink a mug of milk before going back to sleep?"

"Okay," Blaine said, then saw Kurt's discarded pajama pants in a bunch on the floor. He picked them up to place in the hamper when a strong scent of sex assailed his nostrils. He looked down and realized that Kurt had come in his pants. Well, that was possible, but as far as Blaine knew, Kurt hadn't had a wet dream since they had been together. What the hell was going on? Was this the reason for Kurt's strange actions when he woke up? Blaine put the pajamas in the hamper and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Blaine went to the kitchen – well, they called it the kitchen, but it was a space with a table and a hotplate, a small refrigerator under the table. He got out the milk and poured enough for two in the small pan and set it to warm on the hotplate as he got out the Dutch process chocolate to make hot cocoa. He heard the shower turn off as the milk was ready and he put the rest of the ingredients in the pan and stirred. He added a few grains of salt to each cup, stirred, and added a few fresh marshmallows to each one. Placing them on a tray, he added a plate of sugar cookies that Trent's mom had sent over the day before.

Kurt came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped into a turban on his head. Blaine laughed at the sight as he always did. Kurt did not use a dryer on his hair, he just wrapped it for a while and then styled it as it dried in the room air. He was wearing the smoking jacket his dad had given him last year, telling him he looked like Noel Coward, but he better not take up smoking – no matter how elegant a cigarette holder looked. Blaine smiled at the memory, but his attention was back on Kurt when he came over to sit next to him on the overstuffed sofa.

"Oh, that smells divine," Kurt cooed, picking up one of the cups and wrapping his fingers around it.

"Thanks. Now, care to tell me what that was all about?" Blaine asked. Kurt's head jerked around to stare at Blaine's tone of voice.

"What? What is it you think I'm not telling you?" Kurt asked, irritated all of a sudden.

"Did you have a dream? You know you were talking in your sleep, you sounded upset," Blaine countered. He was beginning to wonder what Kurt was dreaming about...or whom.

"I don't know, it was fuzzy and disjointed," he glossed over the dream.

"You don't recall any of it?" Blaine was really staring now. Kurt wasn't good at lying and he appeared to be nervous. He didn't know if it would be worse if he told the truth that he had gotten off watching two other men having sex or if he didn't tell Blaine the truth. He sighed and took several sips of the cocoa. Blaine could make the best cocoa in the world.

"This is delicious, Blaine. Thank you for fixing it for us. It's perfect," Kurt tried to change the subject.

"Thank you for your generous praise, Kurt," Blaine said formally, trying to think of how to get the truth out of him. It was patently obvious that he was not telling the truth or that he was only saying part of it. Blaine was feeling a bit angry, but he didn't want this to turn into a fight. The look in Kurt's eyes was so vulnerable. Blaine wanted to help – and there had to be a reason Kurt was so upset.

Blaine set his mug down next to Kurt's. He reached over to take Kurt's hand in his and brought it to his lips. He gave the boy a sweet kiss, looking into his eyes the whole time.

"Baby, is it something private that you don't want to talk about? I can respect that. Just let me in a little bit. Please, my love? Can't I help?" he asked, wondering how to get through to his boyfriend. It was all getting mixed up now – the first months had been deceiving. They had made everything so easy and carefree. Blaine knew it was expected that they as boys turning into men were at an emotional time of their lives. He knew they would be going through some puzzling and tough times, but he had seen it as a time for Kurt and himself to grow closer as they learned to rely on each other.

Kurt picked up his cup once more and sipped the sweet chocolate, gaining time before he told Blaine what was bothering him. Well, it wasn't exactly bothering him – it was hard to figure out and it was such a private thing that he was unsure of how to proceed. He drank the last sip of the cocoa, his tongue sticking out to lick the chocolate residue off the edge of the cup. Blaine's eyes were out on stocks, staring at Kurt's tongue as it took in the chocolate and licked around Kurt's lips.

Blaine coughed and tried to look away. Damn it, did everything Kurt did have to interest his cock? All Kurt had to do in class was put his pencil between his teeth to hold while he searched for his supplies in his backpack and Blaine's cock was at attention. He had daydreams whenever he was walking behind Kurt in the halls and spied his magnificent ass, walking away. Everything about Kurt was sexy, and Blaine's body was attuned to it. All the time. He gathered what dignity he could and turned to speak to Kurt.

"Is that better now?" he asked his boyfriend, laying a hand on Kurt's shoulder.

"Yes. I am just...I don't know...agitated?" Kurt said, the puzzled look back on his face. "In any case, let's go back to bed. It's still the middle of the night."

Kurt got up, gathered the dishes and took the tray over to the small sink. Blaine sat for a while, looking out the window at the stars shining in. He wanted to open the lines of communication, but was at a loss as to how to do that. He glanced over at Kurt, who was rinsing the cups and plates before he went to bed.

"Hey, Blainers, are you coming to bed with me?" Kurt asked, leaning over the back of the sofa to kiss the nape of Blaine's neck. His arms snaked their way around Blaine and his hand was over his heart, feeling it beat. Blaine didn't move or lift his head so Kurt walked around the sofa and went down on his knees in front of his boyfriend.

Blaine was only wearing his pajama pants so it was easy to pull those down, finding a half-hard cock for Kurt to take hold of and rub against his closed lips. Blaine relaxed a bit, staring at what Kurt was doing. Kurt didn't hesitate before he had taken the organ into his mouth and licked up the vein to place a deep kiss at the tip. Blaine leaned back a bit, watching as Kurt opened his mouth wider to accommodate the swelling cock.

"Mmmmm..." Kurt moaned as he was able to feel Blaine at his top condition. He wanted to give Blaine everything right now – to let go of all of his apprehension and just let himself go. Blaine was trying hard not to thrust, not to choke Kurt as he sought the final goal.

Just as Blaine closed his eyes, ready for the final tongue strokes that would bring him to orgasm, Kurt stopped. He stood up and took Blaine's hand.

"Kurt?" Blaine questioned, but Kurt was tugging him towards the bed.

Blaine followed, tripping over the rug beside the bed and falling unceremoniously into Kurt's arms.

"Blaine!" Kurt shouted when he finally recovered his breath.

"I'm sorry...I tripped," Blaine explained. Kurt giggled.

"Well, now that I have you, what _am_ I going to do with you?"

Blaine scooted the rest of the way into the bed and leaned closer to kiss his boyfriend.

"I don't know, but I can hardly wait to find out," he kidded.

Kurt got off the bed and swung his hips as he started to dance, holding his hands out for Blaine to follow. The two of them danced around for a while, singing and humming until Kurt came close once again and pulled Blaine in for a slow dance. He swung his hips again in a sexy manner, brushing against the front of Blaine's silk pajama pants. Soon they were in each other's arms, dancing slowly and making full body contact. Blaine was leaning his head on Kurt's shoulder, totally full of bliss as Kurt nibbled on his ear.

"Hey, baby...can I ask you something?" Kurt whispered into Blaine's ear. He nodded, too happy to lift his head to speak.

"Can we lose these?" Kurt asked, his fingers pulling at the waistband of Blaine's pajamas.

Blaine lifted his head up, looking into Kurt's eyes before reaching down to remove his pants, then sliding his fingers into Kurt's, removing them as well. Neither of them wore underwear. Kurt's smoking jacket fell to the ground and he picked it up to drape across the desk chair.

He hugged Blaine close to him and kissed his nose before shutting off the dim light and crawling into bed.

Blaine followed suit, cuddling next to his very naked bedfellow. Kurt tried to appear to be going straight to sleep just to mess with Blaine – but his boyfriend was having none of it.

"Kurt...this was your idea to begin with, why am I the one left with blue balls?" Blaine whined. He felt bad then that he'd complained and kissed the back of Kurt's neck in the same way Kurt had kissed his earlier, and he got the same response. He could feel Kurt's muscles tighten and his breath quicken. Yes, Blaine thought, a good response. He increased his kisses, reaching down to caress Kurt's hardness.

"Baby, do you feel me? Is this good?" he asked, wondering what Kurt's face looked like in the dark room.

"Yes...so good," Kurt whispered, struggling to turn a little more so he could see Blaine's face.

"We could both touch each other, at the same time maybe?" came the hopeful voice.

"Yeah...I'd like that," Kurt replied.

They were touching, slow caresses and strokes from ears and necks down to knees. Any place their fingers or mouths wandered was fair game. Neither boy seemed in any hurry to end the loving touches. The room was so dark they could barely see the outlines of each other. Kurt was lying underneath Blaine on his back, but was shifting position. He was on his side now, facing away from Blaine who was against his back. Blaine's hands were holding Kurt, his cock brushing against Kurt's round cheeks.

Kurt felt under the pillow for the small bottle of AstroGlide and opened it. He pulled Blaine's right hand in front of himself and dropped some of the lubricant onto his fingers.

"Go ahead, Blaine...please?" Kurt asked in a shaky voice.

"What? Kurt – are you asking me to...? But I thought..."

"A person has a right to change their mind, Blaine."

"Okay, baby. I'll start, but if you want to stop for any reason, all you have to do is either tell me or touch my arm and I will stop. I promise," Blaine said. He had wonder in his eyes as he tried to see what he was doing in the starlight from the window.

He made sure he had enough lube, finding Kurt's hand to get the bottle to add more. Then he gently started caressing between Kurt's cheeks. Kurt stiffened up, afraid to let Blaine go on, but determined to give it a fair trial. He closed his eyes and tried to relax.

Blaine was well aware that he needed to be gentle and soft. He could feel the subterranean trembling in Kurt's body that came from his fear. A thought crossed his mind that perhaps Kurt was afraid because of some bad experience, but quickly dismissed that thought. Kurt would have told him.

"I love you, baby," Blaine crooned, trying to ease Kurt's mind. "You know I would never hurt you."

"I know...Blaine? Is this the best way if I lie on my side? I read that it was easier to relax...those...ah...muscles, but..." Kurt couldn't bring himself to finish.

"But what, sweetheart?" Blaine stopped what he was doing to kiss Kurt's neck.

"Ah..." Kurt took a big breath. He found the courage to say it, though. "I want to see your face when you do it...is that...could you..." Kurt stumbled through his thought.

"Wait here, my love, and I'll be right back," Blaine said and got up. He went to the dresser near the head of the bed and lit a candle.

"There...better?" he asked and Kurt gave him a sweet smile. He didn't want too much light and the candle was perfect.

Blaine got back under the covers, Kurt coming quickly to lie close.

"Kiss me?" he asked and Blaine obliged. The kisses were deep: mouths, lips, tongues all playing a part. Kurt pulled back, looking into Blaine's eyes, now able to see them better in the bit of light from the candle.

Blaine was stroking and caressing the tender skin of Kurt's inner thigh. He kept glancing up at Kurt, ready to stop if he said to, but Kurt was lying back with his eyes closed, mouth open breathing hard. Blaine wished he knew whether it was because of panic or passion.

"It's okay, baby, I'll be gentle, relax," Blaine cooed at him.

"I love you, Blaine," Kurt murmured.

"I love you, Kurt," Blaine said, kissing him once more before he pressed a little more firmly. He sat up a bit, using his left hand to encircle Kurt's hard cock, The lube he had spread on both hands slick and warm as he moved his hand up and down the shaft, a slow thumb rolling over the head and then along the ridge around the crown.

As Kurt relaxed more, Blaine began to use pressure to massage with his right hand, his index finger coming closer and closer to his goal. Blaine was trying hard to do both things at the same time and ended up with the rhythm in both hands and Kurt's panting breath getting more shallow and fast.

"Is that good, baby? Tell me..." Blaine whispered, waiting for Kurt to focus on his answer before he pushed his finger all the way inside.

Kurt growled, a sound Blaine had never heard come from his mouth before and worried whether it was good or bad. He found out, though as Kurt's shaking increased and he let loose another noise, a deep groan.

"Oh, Blaine..." he moaned, holding on to Blaine's thigh with one hand and his arm with the other. His head was back in the pillows, eyes closed, hips pushing forward and back arched off the bed.

Blaine increased his grip on Kurt's cock, the slick lube making it easy to bring him closer while Blaine didn't neglect the slow slide in and out of the velvety warmth while he searched for the right spot. It didn't take long, after all, Blaine had a lot of practice alone in his bed while Kurt was with his dad.

"Blaine...ahhhhh... right there...oh, don't stop, please don't stop...I'm..coming!" Kurt whispered, the look of awe on his face was nothing Blaine had ever seen before. Semen spurted from Kurt and settled in warm, wet puddle on his stomach. Blaine delicately removed his finger from Kurt, letting go at the same time. He cleaned Kurt's skin and surreptitiously wiped his hands of the lube on a towel he'd brought to the bed earlier in the evening. When they were both clean, Blaine leaned down and kissed Kurt's tummy, making him smile.

"Baby, are you okay?" he asked, circling Kurt with his arms to bring him closer. He was so sure that Kurt had enjoyed it, but he was anxious about saying too much.

"Yeah...I'm...I'm good. I had no idea, Blaine...thank you," Kurt said.

"Thank you for trusting me, Kurt. That is more important than anything to me, your trust. I do have a question, though," Blaine ventured to ask, "Why? I know you were so hesitant – what changed your mind?"

"Andy and Buddy."

Blaine's mouth fell opened and Kurt rushed forward to kiss him. Blaine welcomed him into his embrace, kissing him thoroughly before Kurt struggled out of his arms.

"Now, about those blue balls of yours..." Kurt smiled and bent his head down to satisfy his lover.


	30. Chapter 30 - Chicago!

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Thirty - Chicago **

Blaine had wanted to sit next to Kurt, of course, but Wes was trying to show off his power as head of the Warbler's Council, so Kurt wasn't even in the same car as Blaine. Kurt drove his Navigator, carrying five other boys and Blaine was stuck in the back of Jeff's mother's mini van.

The scenery was nice, something different than Blaine was used to, and he sat with his head leaned against the window, his eyes the only thing moving.

"Hey, Blaine, are you okay?" Nick asked. He was sitting beside Blaine and understood what was going on. He was trying to be sympathetic. He had been separated from Jeff, who was sitting in the front seat with Mrs. Sterling.

"I'm fine. Sorry, Nicky, I was just daydreaming. If we win this competition, we'll be going to Australia. I haven't set foot there in three years and I miss it," Blaine said, turning to speak to his friend.

"Oh, yeah, I remember you telling me that. Well, I promise to try my hardest. I want you to be able to go. You do look sad today, Blaine. What's wrong?"

"Would you think I was crazy if I told you I was missing Kurt?"

"You just saw him 45 minutes ago."

"Do you miss having your arms around Jeff?" Blaine asked.

"Oh, well, yeah. I do understand you wanting to sit with Kurt. I think everyone here wants to steal Wes' gavel and hide it where the sun don't shine," Nick said quietly so no one else could hear him. "He was a good leader, but when we gave him that gavel the first year he got too big for his britches, didn't he?"

"I have only been here a semester, so I don't have anything to compare his behavior to, but I agree he seems to think a lot of himself," Blaine complained.

Nick looked around to be sure nobody was listening before speaking again.

"Blaine, we're thinking of changing our assigned seats when we pull into the gas station in Fort Wayne. Trent is sitting in the front of Kurt's SUV and he is fine with trading. Just be ready when he gives the signal and we can both move. Jeff is going to come back here, Trent in the front with Mrs. Sterling, and you with Kurt. Sound good?"

"You have no idea..."

"On the contrary – I bet I do."

The vehicles turned into a gas station as planned when they reached Fort Wayne. As soon as they stopped by the pumps, Blaine was climbing over the seat to get out the rear door and over to the Navigator. He was in the front seat and had the door locked before anyone had really noticed. Trent was in the Sterling's mini van and Jeff was sitting on Nicky's lap for a moment before they settled down for the rest of the trip. Wes, in the passenger seat of Eddie's Ranger didn't even notice as they pulled in just as Mrs. Sterling and Kurt were ready to leave.

"Hey, Babe," Kurt grinned as he settled behind the steering wheel of his SUV. He let Blaine take his hand and weave their fingers together as they rested their hands on the console between the seats. Blaine was so glad to be near Kurt again, he just sat there and watched his boyfriend's face as he smiled and glanced over at Blaine once in a while.

Kurt was a conscientious driver and kept his eyes on the road. His dad had taught him to drive when he was thirteen, so he was used to driving and considered a safe driver. That and the fact that he owned a large vehicle that would accommodate a large number of Warblers made him one of the first asked to act as drivers to Chicago.

They made good time, it being a Friday afternoon before the traffic rush at five. They made it to Chicago in the late afternoon and drove straight to the hotel. Getting out, they all stretched their legs and looked around at the Christmas decorations that graced the streets of Chicago. Going inside the hotel and through the Christmas-themed lobby, they signed in and received their room keycards. Nicky had arranged that, too. Instead of the rooms that Wes had assigned them, they picked their own rooms. Nicky tossed a keycard to Kurt.

"That is for you and Blainers," he grinned. He had a room for himself and Jeff. All of the remaining Warblers went to their own rooms. Wes was late and didn't even know about the switch.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"What is on the agenda for this afternoon and evening?" Blaine asked. The Warblers had all come to the small meeting room at the hotel and were sitting around the two tables there.

"We're going to the Birchwood Kitchen for supper and then right back here to practice. The restaurant is just down the road, so let's get going. Questions anyone?" Wes asked. He started out the door when he saw everyone was on the same page.

Mrs. Sterling walked beside her son and Nick, a smile on her face. She had raised seven children, Jeff being the last of the brood, and had learned quickly not to worry over small things. Chaperoning the Warblers wasn't much different than when she did it with a dozen cub scouts or with twenty Job's Daughters when her older children needed her.

"How are you tonight?" Blaine asked her as Jeff and Nick held back to walk with Trent.

"I'm fine, my dear. And you? This must be far different from being in Italy or Australia," she answered.

"It is, but that's the fun in it. Every place I live has good things about it, and I think Ohio might be my favorite of all," Blaine smiled, his eyes dreamy as he watched Kurt walking ahead of them with Eddy.

"Ah, and I don't have to ask why, do I?" she said, her grin giving Blaine a good feeling.

"No, ma'am. It is true I found what I was looking for," he smiled.

Mrs. Sterling winked at the boy. "Well, go catch up, I'm fine to walk by myself," she said, but Blaine was hesitant to leave her side. He had been raised to be polite and leaving a woman alone on a Chicago street didn't sit well with him.

"I don't mind. Kurt will come find me when he wants me. Tell me, what made you want to come along as chaperon?"

"Jeff asked me. All my other children are either in college or have homes and lives of their own. Jeff is the youngest and I wanted to be a part of his life. I love to hear you guys sing – so it seemed the perfect opportunity."

"Do you know what songs we're going to sing tomorrow?" Blaine asked. He was planning something and was a bit apprehensive about it.

"No, Jeff said it would be a surprise. I'm looking forward to it," she said. "Oh, looks like we're here. Kurt is waiting for you, my dear. Go catch up to him."

Blaine held the door for her and then with a quick goodbye he ran to catch up with his boyfriend.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

The evening was fun, the boys running back to the hotel after supper, chasing each other and racing to get back to practice at the hotel before going to their rooms.

As they all gathered in the practice room, Wes was looking for his gavel. He had set it down by his backpack when they left for the restaurant, and the room had been locked. He looked around to see who appeared to be guilty, but couldn't pick out any one Warbler.

He huffed and walked to the front of the room. Determined not to be the laughingstock, he didn't mention his gavel but clapped his hands a few times to get the attention of the students.

"We will practice all three songs tonight as if we were on stage. I need you to stand in your places and we will warm up with a song from last semester: "Okay, let's start with 'Hey, Soul Sister'."

The boys all paid attention and sang beautifully.

"Okay, here are the songs we're doing for the competition. First, 'Misery' – remember the footwork since we won't have tables to pound on. Then straight into 'Uptown Girl', Nick on solo, and then 'Somewhere Only We Know', Blaine on solo."

They went through the songs, everyone was enthusiastic and hit all the right notes. Nick and Blaine were in perfect tune and Wes was so pleased that he dismissed them all early to go back to their rooms to rest for the night.

"Remember, be here with uniforms on at nine in the morning. We'll have one more run-through and the buses will be here to take us to the auditorium. Be on time, men," Wes said as they gathered their things and left.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Penny for your thoughts," Kurt said, lying on the bed on his tummy, feet in the air, in his usual position.

"Just thinking about tomorrow and the competition. Do you know anyone that's going to be in the other choirs?" Blaine asked, sitting on a chair beside the bed, taking his socks off. Kurt glanced over and grinned when he saw they were the pink ones with blue and green checks.

"No, the New Directions were not invited so nobody from my former high school will be there," Kurt said.

They sat for a while longer, then got up to get their pajamas on.

"We're not having a bed check or anything, are we?" Kurt asked, a bit afraid Wes would show up and make him go bunk with someone else.

"No. Mrs Sterling told me she is keeping a leash on him tonight," Blaine laughed and Kurt joined in.

"So, who took his gavel?" Kurt asked. Everyone had noticed the missing gavel and nobody was talking.

"My money's on Mrs. Sterling," Blaine said, playfully looking to see that there were no spies in the room and making Kurt laugh. "When Wes unlocked the door, Mrs. Sterling was already sitting in the corner by the table looking over the sheet music. She was the only one with access and the sense of humor to do it."

"Oh! I hadn't thought of her! I was thinking it had to be Trent. He can do things like that and he never looks guilty. He loves his practical jokes and I'm sure Wes could never be upset with him," Kurt smirked. He wished he'd been the one to think of absconding with the gavel.

"We have all night to think about it..." Blaine said in a low voice, then got up and chased Kurt. Kurt jumped off the bed, weaving between the chairs and back on the bed with Blaine a few steps behind him. Kurt squealed, jumping from the bed to one of the chairs and then over to the closet where Blaine caught him by the waist and jerked him close.

He kissed Kurt hard, not enough to bruise his lips, but enough for Kurt to stop thinking about getting away and participate in the kiss. He pulled in a lungful of air when Blaine let go, only to pull Blaine back and kiss him again. Kurt knew where this would lead and was a willing partner as they began removing the pajamas they had so recently put on.

Kurt had put the door lock on when they got to the room and now turned out the lights as they went past them, Blaine practically dragging Kurt.

"Blaine...did you bring...ah..." Kurt started to say before Blaine was kissing him again. As they lay on the bed, Blaine brought a bottle of Astroglide from under the pillow where he left it and put it in Kurt's hand.

"Ah, my sweet boyscout – prepared for anything," Kurt said and Blaine giggled.

"Hey, don't knock it, I _was_ a boyscout," he told Kurt. Kurt giggled.

"They didn't have boy scouts where I lived."

"No? I thought they were pretty universal," Blaine said.

"Maybe they did and I didn't know about it. I was busy delivering baked goods to shut ins with my grandmother back then."

"Yeah, you were a 'Volunteer Angel', right?" Blaine asked.

"That was later – in high school. I quit when Andy died," he muttered, not wanting the sad subject to ruin the romantic feeling in the room.

"Maybe we could do that together? Find a place in need and sign up together, what do you think?" Blaine thought aloud. He had been contemplating this for a week or so and wanted Kurt to be happy helping others once again.

"Oh, Blaine – do you think so? I'd like to look into that. A lot depends on things like college, but I think we could find a way to be helpful." He grinned from ear to ear.

"I bet I know something else that will make you smile," Blaine offered.

"Oh? Do tell."

"How about if I show you?" Blaine whispered, coming close to pull Kurt against him.

Kurt turned into the heat of Blaine's body, his arms surrounding Blaine as he rolled closer. Skin touched skin and they jumped from the spark. Kurt giggled and made a remark about static electricity to which Blaine proceeded to give Kurt several more shocks as he rubbed his foot on the carpet. Kurt pulled him back to the center of the bed and lay on top of him to keep him still.

"I don't think you're serious about us tonight," Kurt pouted. He was horny and all the playing around was making it worse.

"Oh...are we supposed to be serious? I thought we came to Chicago to have some fun?" Blaine asked, his eyebrow lifting just that tiny bit that usually made Kurt giggle.

"Kurt, what's wrong? Let's talk this out before one of us goes off half cocked and we get into a fight," Blaine suggested. Honestly, he didn't know what was up with Kurt lately.

"I'm sorry, Blaine. Nothing's wrong. I guess I'm a bit nervous about tomorrow. I'll try to be more in the moment and stop worrying about the future."

"Hey, there is no pressure about tomorrow, baby. It isn't any different than other competitions you've been in," Blaine tried to calm his lover.

"It's ...well, I keep thinking that if I do something wrong, if I don't bring my best, we won't win and you won't get to go to Australia and see your grandparents. I don't want to disappoint you, Blaine."

"Oh, sweetheart, you won't disappoint me, not ever. Stop worrying. For one thing, you could not mess up. You have such a beautiful voice and I know it will bring us the win. For the second thing, even if we loose, we can go to Australia this summer. So you see? No problems. Just go out there and have some fun. Okay?"

"Okay, Blaine. Thank you, baby," Kurt showed his appreciation of Blaine's words by kissing him so deeply he might have removed his tonsils.

Blaine was still feeling playful, so he came in quickly to nip at Kurt's neck, then he nipped at his collarbone, his sternum, and down to his belly. Kurt had started out giggling but now he was whining.

"Don't tease me, Blaine, just …."

"Just what?" Blaine asked. He knew Kurt was shy about using words to describe sexual things and he loved to kid him about it.

"You know," Kurt growled. He wanted Blaine and he wanted him now. Blaine knew exactly what Kurt wanted, but he was going to tease him for a while first.

"Please, Blaine?"

"Please what?"

"Aarrggghh!" Kurt huffed, getting irritated. "Please stop teasing me. I'm not in the mood for that, and now I'm not in the mood for anything but sleep. Good night, Blaine," he said in a gruff tone and got off the bed to find his pajama pants. He put them on and got back in bed, scooting over to the far side and pulling the blankets up to his shoulder. He was turned to the wall and closed his eyes.

Blaine got up and followed suit, putting his pajama pants on, too, and getting into bed. He laid on his back, looking up to the ceiling.

"Kurt?" he asked, not wanting to just leave it at that. He knew it might be better to just go to sleep and sort things out in the morning, but...that wasn't him. He had to ask.

"Blaine."

"Can we...talk? I mean...well, I did ask first if there was anything wrong. I did," Blaine said logically, thinking quickly to align his strategy. He didn't have a full shelf of debating trophies for nothing.

"You did. Then you decided to tease me, and I hate to be teased, Blaine. You know this. Let's just get some shut-eye and be fabulous tomorrow, okay?" Kurt said in clipped tones indicating his less-than-amused state of mind. Sometimes the stress still nailed him to the wall, leaving him feeling weak and helpless, which led to him closing down. Blaine knew Kurt very well, but the time had not come for him to understand this part of Kurt. He had to admit that these moods were a mystery to him, but as with everything that he wanted to learn about Kurt, he would be patient and learn this, too. If he didn't kill him first.

"I'm sorry. I do know you hate to be teased. Except when you like to be teased. My problem is just telling the difference," Blaine said, a bit shorter than he had meant to.

Kurt sat up, turning to stare at Blaine.

"What the fuck?"

Blaine took a breath. Did Kurt just say 'fuck'?

"Kurt? I didn't mean to upset you, baby. I love you – you know this. Let's just cuddle together and go to sleep. I don't want to go to bed angry. You don't either, do you?"

"No. Okay, pax." Kurt settled himself down once again, scooting his butt so it fit just in the perfect space in front of Blaine, whose arm went automatically around his waist.

"Pax. Goodnight, baby. We'll patch this all up come morning, okay? I don't want to fight with you," Blaine whispered as he lay his cheek on Kurt's warm back. He felt Kurt's muscles relax and his breathing even out. Kurt hummed an answer just before he fell into deep sleep.

How had this gotten out of control so quickly? Blaine was just teasing and he thought Kurt was playing along. Some days Kurt didn't make any sense to him and he wished Cooper were here to ask. He missed having someone to go to. His parents were busy and not likely to be available – hell, they didn't even know he'd had his appendix out until Cooper sent them a telegram a week later.

Blaine was chastising himself for being so oblivious to Kurt who was not enjoying the teasing. He did ask Blaine not to tease him, so that was where he had made the misstep. Not listening. He made a pact with himself to always listen to what Kurt said, no matter what. It couldn't be that hard to do.

He knew Kurt was asleep, and Blaine tried hard not to move in case he would wake him up. They needed to be on their best game to win tomorrow. He really wanted to go to Australia. He listened to Kurt's breathing, it was slow and constant, so he was definitely asleep. Blaine closed his eyes and tried to join him.

Kurt, however, wasn't asleep any more. He was very busy blaming himself for the rift between them. He knew he was being grouchy and distant, but he didn't know how to stop. He would like to kick himself, but that wouldn't help anything. He could feel the warmth of Blaine's body snuggled so near to him and couldn't help but let a smile cross his face. Blaine was so good to him, so loyal and kind. How could he, Kurt, be so unkind? He pulled the blanket closer to his neck, feeling cold and suddenly alone. Blaine had turned away from him and retreated across the large bed, sleeping with his face to the door and about a hundred miles between them.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

The alarm went off, waking Kurt who jumped up right away, blinking and pulling his hand from his pants. He was embarrassed to be caught doing that, but he was asleep and had no control over it. He needn't worry, Blaine wasn't in the room. His side of the bed didn't even look slept in, despite Kurt knowing he was there last night.

"He must have gone down to the rehearsal," Kurt said aloud. He shook his head. He was going to have to fix this rift. This was getting to be too much of a habit, one or the other of them getting irritated over some small slight and turning it into a huge mountain of trouble and hurt feelings before they could talk it out.

Kurt opened the closet and found his uniform, pressed and wrinkle-free. At least he'd feel neat and presentable even if he did have to wear the uniform.

Kurt walked into the practice room right on time. He glanced around, hoping to see Blaine. He was beginning to worry, Blaine was nowhere to be found. He even asked Trent and Nicky if they had seen him, but both boys shook their head. Kurt went to sit a bit away from the others and worried.

"All right, let's just give "Misery" a try before we go," Wes said, looking daggers at Trent and Eddy giggling. They straightened up immediately.

After a few bars, Wes stopped them, seeing Mrs. Sterling in the doorway signaling to him.

"The buses are here. Let's go."

The boys filed into the two buses, Kurt searching everywhere for a sign of Blaine. He had a solo – where could he be? Kurt tried to tell Wes that they had to wait to locate Blaine, but Wes just mumbled that Blaine would be there for the competition, he was a loyal Warbler and everything would be fine – then rushed Kurt onto the bus.

They arrived at the auditorium, crowding in through a back door that led to the dressing rooms. Kurt brushed his jacket and a few of the boys asked him where Blaine was, but he just shrugged his shoulders. They had a short pep meeting, everyone excited they got to go last in the line-up. They had seats in the front of the auditorium and watched as three groups sang, each one amazing. Kurt had no idea how the judges would choose. These were real judges from the international consortium, not some used car salesman or local minister rounded up just for the competition. Winning this would actually mean something.

Kurt fiddled with his fingers, nervous and worried as he tried to figure out where Blaine could be. They were finally called to go backstage and get ready. He stood near Jeff and Nicky, trying to concentrate. He saw Wes and started to ask him if he knew anything about it, but Wes just patted his shoulder and said they would be fine and to go get in place.

The lights came up and Kurt, standing in the middle row on the right, looked out over the audience, spotting two people he knew. His dad was sitting in dead center, second row back next to Cooper Anderson. He blinked is eyes and rubbed them, the lights so bright he couldn't see well. There at the front near the orchestra pit was Blaine, leaning forward to say something to Burt and Coop. He turned and looked up at Kurt, blew him a kiss and ran backstage.

Wes made a clicking sound that alerted the Warblers to be ready for his hand signal. All eyes were on Wes except Kurt, who watched the wings for a glimpse of Blaine. He was still feeling a bit guilty for their fight last night. Or was it a fight? Kurt wasn't sure. In any case, he regretted his actions and couldn't wait for the competition to be over so he could make it up to Blaine. He snapped back to reality as he saw Blaine slide into the formation, then they were singing 'Misery', stomping their feet at the place where they would have pounded the table back at Dalton.

Kurt tried to pay attention now. He knew Blaine was alright and his dad and Coop were in the audience. He would give it his all, hoping they would win so Blaine could go see his grandparents in Australia. He pasted on his show choir smile as they finished the song and he heard wild clapping and his father's distinct whistle.

Nicky walked to the front of the stage and Wes snapped his fingers to bring everyone's attention to him. Nick moved his hand to start and they were singing 'Uptown Girl'. This song required footwork that was more complicated than the last one, but they had done it so many times it was like habit. Nick's voice was in perfect tune, the backup voices blending in and Kurt had never heard them sing it better. He was getting so excited, it looked like they had a chance to win.

When that song was over it was Blaine's turn. He was singing 'Somewhere Only We Know', which showcased his voice so well. Kurt smiled at the thought when Jeff bumped his arm. He looked over and Jeff signaled that he had to tell him something. Kurt stepped a bit closer and Jeff whispered, "Don't sing when Blaine starts."

Kurt stared at him.

"Why not?" he mouthed.

Trent leaned closer on his other side.

"Don't ask, just don't sing. Lip-sync."

Kurt looked at each of them. That made no sense, but if they both said...well, it wouldn't matter if his voice wasn't in the first few notes. There wasn't time for explanations, so Kurt decided to trust his friends.

Blaine walked to his place in front of the Warblers. They would be singing very softly anyway, so it wouldn't matter if Kurt joined in late.

What Kurt didn't know was that last night, Blaine had spoken to each Warbler – with the obvious exception of Kurt – before they got on the buses. He was smiling a secret smile as he walked up in front of the choir. He tapped his toe to signal he was starting. Instead of "Somewhere Only We Know", he began a different song:

"_Baby, I'm amazed at the way you love me all the time,  
And maybe I'm afraid of the way I love you."_

Kurt looked at Blaine. When did this change take place? He was with Blaine almost all the time and he hadn't heard anything about the new song.

_"Maybe I'm amazed at the way you pulled me out of time,_  
_You hung me on the line._  
_Maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you."_

As Blaine sang these words, he turned to look right at Kurt. Kurt blushed when he realized what was going on and the rest of the Warblers turned to look at Kurt, too.

_"Baby, I'm a man, maybe I'm a lonely man_  
_Who's in the middle of something_  
_That he doesn't really understand._

_Baby, I'm a man,_  
_And maybe you're the only lover who could ever help me._  
_Baby, won't you help me to understand?_  
_Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh."_

The Warblers all chimed in with the Ooh's, swaying in time as they smiled at the two lovers. The audience was a little late in catching up to what was going on, but they were smiling by now – thinking it was all a part of the show.

_"Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,_  
_Oh, oh, oh,_  
_Oh, oh, oh, oh,_  
_Oh."_

Kurt had figured it out by now and stepped down from his place on the riser when Blaine held out his hand. He joined Blaine in singing, feeling all at once light-headed and wonderful. His eyes only saw Blaine and the sparkle in them could be seen to the eighth row.

_"Baby, I'm a man, maybe I'm a lonely man_  
_Who's in the middle of something_  
_That he doesn't really understand._

_Baby, I'm a man,_  
_And maybe you're the only lover who could ever help me._  
_Baby, won't you help me to understand?_  
_Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh._

_Maybe I'm amazed at the way you're with me all the time,_  
_Maybe I'm afraid of the way I love you."_

Blaine wanted to kiss Kurt in the worst way, but that might just disqualify them. He had hold of Kurt's hand, though, and squeezed it gently, his heart pounding even harder when Kurt squeezed back. Both boys bowed, then turned to the Warblers with a sweep of their hands. The choir bowed and the curtain came down to loud applause from the audience.

As soon as the curtain was down, Blaine embraced Kurt, kissing him gently and holding him close. Kurt kissed back, but kept it light considering they were on a public stage. He pulled back after the hug, looking at Blaine with tears in his eyes.

The Warblers left the stage, filing back to the dressing room to await the verdict of the panel of judges.

"When did you plan that?" Kurt asked, still a bit in awe.

"This morning. I got up early and sent texts to the rest of the Warblers, they all agreed, and it worked," Blaine said, his grin reflecting how proud he was of himself. Kurt giggled.

"How on Earth did you get Wes to agree?" Kurt asked, knowing how much Wes loved to be the one in charge. Blaine leaned close to Kurt and whispered in his ear.

Kurt practically jumped back, staring at Blaine. Blaine nodded his head as if to further convince Kurt of what he had whispered. Kurt leaned forward and kissed him, hard.

About a half an hour later, all of the participants in the competition were called out to the audience. When they were seated, three choirs were called to the stage. The Galeton High Serenade, The Springfield School Melody Makers, and The Dalton Academy Warblers were escorted to the stage. Kurt and Blaine, standing in the back, held hands. The officiant of the competition came forward with his microphone.

"This was such a close competition, all of the choirs were on their best and it was hard to choose. In the end it was unanimous that the show choir that made their song sound fresh, as if it was their first time singing. The song sounded like they had just decided to sing it, not as if they had practiced for 100 hours. The winner is: The Dalton Warblers!"

The audience cheered and clapped, the boys hugged each other, Blaine laying a kiss on Kurt's cheek as they jumped up and down with the rest of the choir.

Each of the Warblers fanned out and shook hands with the other singers on the stage, showing their good sportsmanship.

As the Warblers came out of the auditorium, they were greeted by their parents and friends. Kurt ran forward, hugging his father and picking him up to twirl around and around. Blaine was in Cooper's arms, hugging him, too.

"We're going to Australia!"

"We're going to Australia!"

* * *

A/N:

_Thank you to all who have kindly inquired about the story. No, I never abandon anything...it is just delayed from time to time. I had a huge delema in the way to turn in this chapter. Between help from Veronica and Michelle, I have figured it out and thank the two of them for all the encouragement._

_Plus, so many thanks to Ronnie, who loaned me her hometown and memories of Christmas so I could take the boys somewhere I've never taken them before in the next chapters!_

_Yes, I know I'm tardy in posting once again, but the old rheumatoid arthritis is having its way with me and it was a long week while I waited (more or less patiently) for the inflammation to subside so I could move my fingers. Argh. I just have no patience with this, you know? LOL_


	31. Chapter 31 - Melbourne

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Thirty-One – Melbourne**

The view out of the plane window was not exactly what Kurt had been looking forward to. It had started off great when Blaine offered to change seats so Kurt could sit by the window, but once they started to cross the ocean, it was just water. Everywhere. It was making his stomach very unhappy as he tried to fall asleep just to get away from the never-ending waves.

"Hey, baby, are you feeling okay? You look a little green..." Blaine asked, concern showing on his face.

"Yeah, it's just all the water...can you get seasick in an airplane?" he asked, blinking his eyes when they began to water.

Cooper leaned over his little brother, holding a hand out to Kurt for him to take something. Kurt held out his hand and Coop dropped in two pills.

"What's this?" Kurt asked.

"Dramamine. It will stop the seasick feeling. You know where the air-sick bag is, right?"

"Yeah. Blaine has been holding it for two hours thinking I might be sick. I'm pretty sure I'm not, my stomach just feels a bit queasy," Kurt said, then swallowed the pills with a sip of water. "Thank you, Coop, I appreciate it."

"No problem. You doing okay, Squirt? I have more," Cooper offered, but Blaine shook his head no.

"I'm fine. Hey, Kurt, let's put the armrest down and you can lean on my shoulder?" he offered.

Kurt smiled as much as he could, given the state of his belly. He curled up and put his head on Blaine's chest, loving it when his boyfriend stroked his temple and ran his fingers through Kurt's chestnut hair. He was asleep in minutes.

"Can you fall asleep, too, Squirt?" Cooper asked. He could see how tired his little brother was, the dark circles under his eyes were more pronounced than ever and Cooper was rethinking letting him come on this trip so soon after having surgery. He was so pleased when Blaine had called and asked him if he wanted to chaperon this trip. Cooper hadn't been home to Australia in many years, having moved back to the United States to start college and then medical school. He hoped his desire to visit the place he called home didn't influence his decision to let Blaine join the Warblers in Melbourne for the show choir competition.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please return to your seats and place your trays in their upright positions. Buckle your seatbelts and we will be landing in Auckland Airport, New Zealand. For those going on to Melbourne, the layover will be 3 hours and 10 minutes. We will be leaving by this gate. We hope you have had a nice trip and thank you for flying New Zealand Airlines."

"Blaine?" Kurt asked, rubbing his eyes and sitting up straight. His neck hurt from being in the same position for so long. He glanced over to see his boyfriend was asleep, leaning on Cooper.

"Blaine, wake up. Squirt. We're about to land in Auckland," Cooper said to his brother. Blaine woke up reaching out his hands to feel Kurt.

"Okay...Kurt?" he asked, and reached over to hold tightly to Kurt's hand as the plane slowed and descended. The airport came into view and they felt the landing gear go down and the wheels skid on the wet runway. They came to a very abrupt halt, turned and taxied slowly to the gate.

Kurt was holding his stomach once again, then put his hands over his ears as they popped from the sudden descent.

"You want to go and see a bit of New Zealand while we wait?" Cooper asked. Both boys nodded. "Okay, make sure you have everything you came with and we can go out for a few minutes. Make sure you have your boarding passes and passports in hand."

After clearing customs, the three were joined by a few more of the Warblers who wanted to see a little bit of New Zealand before re-boarding for the last leg of their trip. Jeff and Nick were the first to join, quickly followed by Trent, Thad, Eddy, and Wes.

Cooper had a quick chat with Mrs Sterling and Prof MacBeth, two of the other chaperons. Most of the boys were tired and opted to wait in the airport. Cooper took his charges out and they found a shuttle bus from the airport to the city.

Cooper and Blaine had been to Auckland numerous times, so they led the others in looking at the sights. The streets were all decked out for the Christmas holiday and Kurt found it strange that it was the middle of summer, which did not mesh in his head with Christmas. They wandered around the streets for a while, buying a few souvenirs and flirting with the locals. They were all sleepy with jet lag, but managed to have fun seeing the new city. Kurt suggested they stop for ice cream, which they did, and ate the cones as they continued to walk.

Soon enough it was time to catch the shuttle bus back to the airport and board the plane to Melbourne. It was hard to tell who was more excited: Blaine or Cooper when the lights of the city were seen below.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" Kurt exclaimed, looking out the window while leaning over Blaine's lap. They had traded seats again so Blaine could see his home first.

"That it is," he crowed, excitement fizzing in his veins as he saw the buildings that looked so familiar. He was holding Kurt's hand so tightly, Kurt had to remind him not to break it.

"I'm sorry, Kurt. I'm just so excited!" Blaine said, looking out the window again.

The plane ground to a stop, then taxied in to the gate.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Disembarking from the international flight, all of the boys located their suitcases and passports and made their way through customs while Mrs Sterling and Prof MacBeth went to find their bus.

Finally reaching the hotel where all of the show choirs were staying for the week, the boys took their room keycards and went to lie down. They were all tired from the 19 hour flight and needed a few hours sleep before they would feel up to doing anything. The chaperons shared rooms, Mrs Sterling with Prof MacBeth and Cooper with Dean of Students, Dr Nelson, who had flown in the week before to make sure everything was ready for the Warblers.

Blaine started to pick up his suitcase after receiving their room keycard, but Kurt smacked his hand.

"You know you are not supposed to pull anything this heavy!" Kurt reprimanded his boyfriend, glaring at him as he pulled up the retractable handle with his unoccupied hand. Blaine looked contrite.

"Sorry, Kurt. I forgot."

"Don't forget again, mister," Kurt said with anxiety in his voice. "I do not want to have to take your butt to the hospital again. Understood?"

"Yes, I'll be good," Blaine blushed. He really didn't mean to upset Kurt, he was just so overwhelmed to be in his city again after all this time. He was so energized, he could hardly wait to get out and show Kurt all the good things in the city tomorrow.

They took the suitcases to their room and set them at the foot of the bed they would share. The room was supplied with two full size beds, but Blaine had paid the cost of the double room himself so they could be alone together. Since Cooper had taken care of the money and the hotel reservations, there had been no trouble.

"I have everything hung up or folded in the drawers, baby," Blaine said, smiling at Kurt as he walked back in to the room. He had gone to get some ice from the machine at the end of the hall for their water bottles.

"It looks great, thank you," Kurt grinned. Here they were, alone at last. Both of them had fun being with their fellow Warblers, but they hadn't really been together in a few days and it was wearing on them. Just as they sat down together on the end of one of the beds, there was a knock on the door.

"Damn it. Should we just ignore it? It's probably Wes with another schedule for practice," Blaine grumped.

"Squirt! I know you're in there. Put on some clothes and open this door," Cooper's voice came through. Blaine rolled his eyes and unlocked it.

"Yes, O fair brother o' mine?" Blaine said, staring daggers at his brother being a cockblock once again.

"Hey, no attitude, little one. I come in peace. I called Grandfather and he will be expecting the two of you tomorrow in front of the hotel, bags packed for three days in Dromana," Cooper told them with a big smile.

"Is that in the country?" Kurt asked. He remembered Blaine mentioning that his grandparents didn't live in the city.

"Yes, it is. Didn't my lil' bro tell you about them?" Cooper asked.

"No, not much, I thought they would be a good surprise," Blaine grinned at his big brother.

Cooper coughed, then looked down so Kurt couldn't see the crafty grin on his face. Yes, they would be a surprise all right.

"Okay, I'm off to bed. Check in with me before you leave in the morning and I'll see you when you get back on Saturday. The competition is on Sunday at the Royal Exhibition Building. The rest of the Warblers are going to the Melbourne Zoo tomorrow morning. You're going to miss a few more things, the cricket match on Thursday and the National Gallery of Victoria on Friday."

"I've seen them before, Coop," Blaine said, hoping his brother would leave so he could kiss Kurt – which might lead to other things.

"Kurt hasn't seen them, though. You might want to consider him," Coop snarked back, a bit hurt at Blaine's attitude.

"Kurt, would you like to go visit my grandparents or go sight-seeing with the Warblers?" Blaine asked.

"With you, my love," he said and kissed Blaine's cheek.

"Oh, for goodness sake, Kurt. He's got you hypnotized! You don't have your own thoughts anymore. Well, okay, I will talk to you two in the morning," Cooper huffed, turning to go back to his own room.

"G'night, mate," Blaine said in his best Aussie accent. Cooper turned around and rolled his eyes once again before stepping inside the elevator.

Back in the room, Blaine locked the door and followed Kurt to the bed. It was dark outside and they were very tired. Kurt began pulling off his clothes and laid each item on the chair by the window. Blaine had been doing the same until a glance had caught Kurt in the corner of his eye and he had been watching ever since, his arms frozen in position as he stared.

"What?" Kurt asked,

"You are just...so beautiful," Blaine stammered. He had been thinking about Kurt, wondering if the song he sang to him during the preliminary competition in Chicago had any effect. It had really been a quick and desperate act in the moment type of thing – singing the Beatles song to Kurt. His boyfriend wouldn't talk to him and Blaine needed to get his message across to Kurt. It might have been a bit risky, they might have lost the competition, but the fact was that while the Warblers won the competition, Blaine had also won Kurt back. He started to hum "Maybe I'm Amazed" and was pleased as punch when a smile bloomed on Kurt's lips.

Kurt came walking swiftly across the thick carpet and flung his arms around his half-dressed boyfriend.

"Did I tell you today that I love you?" Kurt asked, leaning over Blaine to kiss his neck softly.

"Not since we crossed the International Date Line," he murmured as he bent his head to the side to give Kurt more room to kiss his neck and shoulder.

"Well, then. I love you, my sweet boy," Kurt said, kissing down the tendon in Blaine's neck and making him shiver with delight.

Blaine took Kurt's hand and guided it to the unsubtle bulge in his dress slacks.

"Does this feel like a mere boy to you?" he asked.

Kurt startled, then kissed him deeper, licking across Blaine's lush mouth. He sought out Blaine's soft tongue and made a sound deep in his chest of contentment, of growing passion as he rolled his own tongue against it.

Blaine walked them to the bed, gently lowering his lover to the bedcovers and scooting them to the middle of the bed. Kurt didn't stop his kisses, holding tightly to Blaine as he was moved across the bed.

"Let's get comfortable," Blaine suggested, then began peeling off the rest of Kurt's clothes. Kurt was no help at all, just kissing Blaine's chest as the buttons came undone. He finally stopped when Blaine rolled away from him, undoing the trousers he was wearing and pulling them off. Kurt did the same, folding all of the clothes in a neat pile on the bed beside him.

"Come back," Kurt chirped, acting silly as he put out his grabby hands to take Blaine back into his arms. Blaine was back in an instant, even more ready to make love with the sunshine of his life.

"What do you want, baby?" he asked, his eyes searching Kurt's face, wondering what kind of mood his boyfriend was in. Kurt's mood changed from good to bad in the fraction of a second sometimes and Blaine was still trying to learn to read him. Better to ask than to be unhappily surprised as Kurt went into a snit over something Blaine never understood.

"Let's get under the covers – the air conditioning is kind of chilly in here," Kurt remarked. He went under the blankets and sheets, pulling Blaine with him. Under the covers, Kurt was as amorous as he had ever been. He stroked Blaine, humming as he kissed his body. They usually did this for quite a while – as if they were getting to know one another over again even if had been as short a time as a few days. Tonight it wasn't like that at all.

Kurt pushed Blaine down into the mattress, kissing hard and running his hands to the most rewarding places on Blaine's body. He nipped and licked, stroking hard on his cock and whining as he rubbed his own hardness against Blaine's thigh.

"Oh, Kurt – what's gotten in to you?" Blaine asked, taken by surprise as Kurt's mouth found it's way to Blaine's cock and swallowed as much as possible.

"Mmmmmm..." was the only verbal response from Kurt, but the boy made his wishes clear as he reached up to pinch a nipple, then grabbed the bottle of lube. His mouth busy, he popped the cap on the lube and buttered his fingers well. It wasn't more than a moment before his fingers were massaging Blaine's pink entrance, slow but determined as he held his cock in his mouth, sucking lightly as his other hand found purchase and began to stroke.

Blaine was lying back on the bed, unable to do anything to reciprocate. Kurt was a madman, gently pressing his slick middle finger into Blaine's body, searching for the right place as his lips went down a bit further on his cock. Blaine was gasping, only able to knot his fingers into the sheets and hold on.

Kurt was relentless, pushing Blaine to the edge. Blaine had never experienced Kurt in this manic mood. It was scary at first, but the amazing way his body was reacting made it the hottest thing ever. He was in this to the end.

"Can I...do you want...more fingers?" Kurt breathed, taking a break from sucking on Blaine's cock.

Blaine was lying back in the soft pillows, his muscles taut and quivering.

"Yes...oh yes..." he answered and Kurt's mouth was drawn back to its place, sucking Blaine back in and running his tongue around the crown, just under the foreskin. There was the familiar swirling heat in his belly, the indication of what was to come, and he stuffed it back, not wanting this to end.

Kurt added more slick gel to his fingers, rubbing them together for a moment and gently massaging his way back inside Blaine's body, this time with three fingers. He took a moment to just feel. He was filled with the thrill of Blaine's moans, knowing how he, Kurt, was the one responsible for Blaine feeling so good.

"More, baby...please," Blaine moaned, practically sobbing it felt so good.

"Yes, I'm here for you, can you come for me?" Kurt growled out, now anticipating the feeling when his lover would come.

Kurt put his mouth back to swallow as much of Blaine as possible, feeling the boy's fingers bury themselves in his hair and tug slightly in his enthusiasm. His own fingers, buried deep, could feel in the velvety smooth texture as rubbed and stroked over the gland that delivered such a powerful catalyst to the climax.

He heard Blaine gasp, then felt as his fingers grasped his hair tightly and Blaine let out a loud groan, moaning as he came for Kurt. He was babbling, then silent as all the heat and passion culminated in a soul-reaching orgasm.

Afterwards, Kurt held Blaine in his arms. He dropped kisses on Blaine's head as the boy fell asleep. Kurt snuggled down in the bed, still holding Blaine close, and laid his head on the pillow.

"I love you, baby, so much..."

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Both boys slept for several hours when Blaine was awakened by the feeling of something hard against his back. They had tossed and turned in their sleep, legs tangling together as Blaine's inner octopus came out. He giggled thinking of the day Kurt had said that to him. He didn't appreciate it at the time, but it was the truth.

"Kurt?" Blaine whispered, hoping the hardness in his back was something he could help Kurt with.

"Mmmmmm..."

"Baby?"

"MmmHmmm?"

"Do you want me?"

Kurt's arms went around Blaine, tightening as he pushed his hips forward, his cock finding the cleft between Blaine's buttocks, ignoring two pairs of pajamas.

Blaine loosened Kurt's arms and gently pushed him onto his back. He pulled down those pesky pajamas and sank his mouth down over Kurt's insistent erection. Kurt continued to hum, his voice getting higher as Blaine did his best to accommodate the large object of his affection.

"Blaine..." Kurt breathed, twisting his fists in the sheets. He had just been dreaming of this, having gone to sleep before Blaine had the opportunity to relieve this ache in his body. "Yes...oh, this is too soon.." he said with disappointment in his voice. Blaine stopped the rhythm and licked slowly down and then back up, keeping Kurt on his tongue but not allowing him to come. He moved closer, stroking now with gentle hands all of Kurt's tender flesh as he kept his lover going but not quite enough to let him finish.

"No...don't tease me, baby. Don't tease..."

Blaine moved a bit faster, letting Kurt's moans guide him as he tried his best to make it perfect for Kurt. He moved up and down, his tongue busy caressing all the best places, the places that would send Kurt around the bend and wailing Blaine's name.

It wasn't long before they were back at the doorway to Kurt's climax and this time Blaine redoubled his efforts, sucking and maintaining the rhythm of in and out, up and down, back and forth and Kurt found himself falling through that door. His belly bubbled with heat, coiling down to his balls as he could feel the mighty force of his desire coming closer and closer as he twined his fingers into those sexy curls and held his breath, his muscles quivering and then, finally, his orgasm took hold of him and he was trying his best not to leave the planet as wave after wave of that wonderful feeling swept through him.

It wasn't long before he lay as if dead, trying to stay awake after the Earth-shattering feeling in his body.

"Go to sleep, my love," Blaine whispered, cuddling into Kurt's arms, holding him as they both fell into a hard sleep. They had to be at their best tomorrow, they were going to Dromana.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Blainers! Kurt!" the boys heard from the hallway outside their hotel room.

Blaine rolled his eyes as he walked across to the door and flipped open the lock and opened the door.

"Good Morning, Cooper," he greeted his brother, unable to stop his wide grin. "Come in, please."

"Well, Mr. Merry Sunshine, what makes you so chipper this morning when you should be on your knees with jet lag?"

"He doesn't get on his knees for anyone but...oh, oopps..." Kurt sat with his eyes blinking in sleepyness and his hand over his mouth.

"What?" Cooper asked, becoming very amused by his little brother's bright red face.

"What he meant was...ah...Oh! Hey, look at the time. You ready, Kurt?" Blaine tried to cover and then just changed the subject.

"Looks like someone was keeping late hours, huh, Kurt?" Cooper asked, delighted as Kurt blushed almost as red as Blaine.

"I packed everything, Bee, and we're ready to go. Kind of you to wake us up, Cooper, but as you can see – we are responsible men," Kurt said, standing to hold Blaine's hand and make their way out to the lobby.

As the elevator opened, Blaine saw his grandparents waiting in the lobby for them. He ran into his grandmother's arms, hugging her gently.

"Grandmother!" he cried, so happy to see this person he had been missing so much. He turned to give his grandfather the same treatment, hugging him tightly. Cooper was hugging his grandmother by then. When all the hugging was over, Blaine stepped back to introduce Kurt to his grandparents when someone standing behind his grandparents moved into his vision. He blinked his eyes, unable to reconcile the woman for a moment. Recognition showed suddenly and Blaine took a quick step back.

"What are _you_ doing in _Melbourne_?" Blaine stuttered, completely taken by surprise.

He stumbled, but Kurt was quick to put his strong and steady arms around Blaine's waist to keep him on his feet. He pulled Blaine into his side as if to protect him until he knew who this new person was and if they presented any kind of danger, considering the tone of Blaine's voice. Cooper turned and scurried to his brother's side.

The woman looked closer at Blaine, her eyes wide and disapproving.

"And who is _this_ with his arms around you - _in public_, Blaine Devon?"


	32. Chapter 32 - Dromana

**Volunteer Angel – Chapter Thirty-One – Dromana**

"He's my boyfriend," Blaine said, maybe a bit too loud. He could feel Kurt stiffen, his face a blank mask he used when he withdrew from the people around him. Blaine caught it and a coldness went through his body, a sort of panic going through his own bloodstream at feeling the stress in his boyfriend. People in the lobby of the hotel turned their heads.

"Hush!" the woman said. Kurt's arms tightened around Blaine as he pulled the boy closer.

"Mother..." Blaine huffed, scowling at the woman.

"Charlotte!" Blaine's grandmother said at the same time, stepping in front of her daughter as if to shield Blaine from her.

"Let's move this over to a quieter place," Grandfather said, his hand on his daughter's shoulder as if to guide her. Cooper followed – almost herding Kurt and Blaine over to an alcove at the side of the room.

They all stood, staring at each other for a moment when they were joined by yet another man.

The new man, not too tall but with a commanding presence, put his arms around Cooper. After a big hug he turned to Blaine. Looking at Kurt, whose arms were still around his boyfriend, he spoke.

"May I hug my son? I promise to give him right back," TC Anderson said, grinning at Kurt.

"Ah...of course..." Kurt said, a bit in awe of the man. This was Blaine's father? He looked so much like Andy it was uncanny. Kurt got a funny feeling in his stomach – of everything being rushed and tangled and confused. He wanted to reach out to Blaine, let his boyfriend ground him for a few minutes before they moved on, but that wasn't going to happen. Kurt was well aware of Charlotte's scrutiny as he stood in the lobby, searching the faces in front of him, wondering which would be his ally and which might not.

TC claimed his son, hugging him tightly and dropping a kiss to his cheek just as he had with Cooper.

"Thomas..." Charlotte interrupted. "We haven't been introduced to this young man." Her gaze was not unfriendly, but neither was it welcoming. It was more neutral, as if she were waiting to see if Kurt might be worthy of her time to get to know him. He tried to stand still, to not appear nervous in front of Blaine's parents.

"Well, by all means, I think it's about time. I am TC Anderson, Blaine's father," he said with a smile, shaking Kurt's proffered hand.

"Kurt Hummel," he said, actually staring at TC.

TC stopped and stared back until his wife poked him in the side. He was at a loss – he knew that name as well as he knew his own, and this boy looked like the Kurt Hummel he knew. "How...?"

Blaine saw the confusion and pain in his father's eyes.

"Dad, we need to talk. I promise, I can explain everything. First, let me introduce everyone?" Blaine said quietly to his father, sliding a hand into his grip and squeezing. TC looked back at his son and smiled a shaky smile, looking vulnerable. TC stared for almost a full minute, then gave his son a sad smile and squeezed his hand.

"Okay, son," he said quietly so that only Blaine heard him. His son gave him a nod and turned his attention to the other people in the room to introduce his boyfriend. He knew his father understood what he had asked and agreed to it. He sighed, thankful he had such a good rapport with his dad, even after a few years.

"Grandfather and Grandmother, this is my boyfriend, Kurt Hummel. Kurt, this is my grandfather, Alton Darling, and my grandmother, Genevieve Brock Darling," Blaine said. Kurt shook hands with both of them.

"And Mother, this is Kurt. Kurt, my mother, Charlotte Anderson," Blaine said, giving his mother a look that meant she had best be on good behavior. Actually, Blaine wasn't worried, his father was here and he would keep her in line.

"Pleased to meet you, Mrs Anderson," Kurt said formally, taking her hand and shaking it gently. This seemed to please her and she smiled at Kurt.

"Shall we go into the restaurant and get some brunch?" Genevieve asked. Everyone agreed and they filed through the door and were seated. Blaine sat next to Kurt, holding his hand firmly under the table. He leaned over to give him a quick kiss as he sat down after helping his grandmother with her chair.

TC sat close to his son at the head of the table. Menus were perused and brunch ordered, all very sociable. As they began to eat, TC kept looking at his son, wondering why he didn't tell him what was going on – but not sure if it was something that Blaine wanted to say with everyone there.

The weather was talked about, the plane ride from America, Cooper's schooling and internship that was about to come up. Blaine talked about his Jaguar and the house in Lima. TC and Charlotte told the boys how they had heard from Cooper that they would be in Melbourne for the International Show Choir competition over the Christmas holiday, so they had come from Europe to have a family reunion of sorts.

After the meal, Blaine asked his father to accompany him back to his room to retrieve the rest of his luggage for the trip to Dromana to his grandparents' home.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Walking inside the door to the room, Kurt and Blaine sat down on the edge of the bed, TC on the chair.

"I can't get over how much you look like your brother!" Kurt gasped, still staring at TC.

"You...you knew my brother?" TC asked, the surprise showing all over his face.

"He and Andy were good friends," Blaine told his dad. "He was there when Uncle Andy died."

TC sat still, his eyes burning with unshed tears.

"By the time I was told about Andy's condition, it was too late" TC said, almost to himself as he looked around the room, then down at his feet. "I had just gotten a ticket home to Ohio when I got another call that Andy was gone. I have felt so guilty that I wasn't there. I knew the funeral had been arranged, there was no reason to fly home when he was already gone – I just didn't have the heart to come then, so I stayed in Italy. It's my fault for not calling him more often. I'm afraid I wasn't a good brother at the end."

"He wasn't in any pain, Mr. Anderson, I promise you that," Kurt assured him, his hand stretched out to give a comforting touch, but at the last moment Kurt was just unable to touch TC. He pulled back, blinking fast to stem the tears and Blaine moved closer, his hand gripping Kurt's and his other arm around Kurt's waist.

"They called me that evening," Kurt said, "and my dad took me right away. Andy told me he was cold, but I knew he just wanted someone to hold him. I climbed up on the bed and held him in my arms – he told me he was tired of missing Buddy and it was time to go and be with him. He made me promise to make something of myself. Then he got confused I think. He kept calling me 'Buddy'. There were a few minutes at the end, though, when he was very clear once again. He said he'd never leave me. He said he loved me," Kurt managed to get out before he was sunk into Blaine's arms, crying unashamedly, missing his friend.

TC and Blaine were both in tears, also missing Andy. It was a few moments before any of them were able to gather themselves and stop the tears. Blaine had taken out his handkerchief and was gently dabbing at Kurt's tears, kissing his face.

"Oh, I am so glad you were there for him, Kurt. So glad," TC said. "How did you come to know Andy?"

Blaine and Kurt explained the whole story, laughing in the funny moments and being sincere in others.

"You know that Buddy's real name was Kurt Hummel, don't you?" TC asked.

"Yes, Blaine told me. I have no idea if I'm related to him or not. My dad and mom lived in St Mary's when they got married and when I was a kid, but I know Dad's family was from somewhere close to Westerville. I asked him once, but all he knew was there there were a lot of cousins. I think there must be some relation, though. I've see pictures of Buddy and we look a lot alike. No wonder you stared at me when we met," Kurt said.

"Sorry about that...it was a bit of a shock, as you can imagine – seeing what appeared at first to be my brother and his lover standing there..." TC said, still in a bit of shock over it all. "Where did you see a picture of Buddy? I remember he didn't want one in the nursing home, said it hurt too much to think of him every day." TC said, shaking his head slowly.

"Oh, at the apartment. Andy left me his apartment," Kurt said, timidly. He wasn't sure how Andy's brother would take knowing a stranger now owned his beloved brother's apartment.

"I'm happy you do. Andy and Buddy lived a wonderful life there," TC said. He glanced down at his watch. "The others are going to wonder what's been keeping us. We better get down there – leaving your mother too long with her parents might spark a bit of trouble. Let's go."

Back down in the lobby, the boys and TC found Blaine's grandparents sitting with their daughter and Cooper.

"All ready to go?" Alton Darling asked, smiling at the boys.

"Yes, all packed," Blaine answered. "What's the plan?" he asked his big brother.

"You and Kurt are going to Dromana for a few days, I'm staying here with the rest of the Warblers," Cooper said, "Mum and Dad are going to open their apartment. Everyone is meeting here for the competition, then Mum and Dad have asked us all to have Christmas with them at their apartment."

"You can fit all twelve of the Warblers plus the chaperons?" Kurt asked.

"Of course. You let us worry about that," Charlotte smiled. Kurt was quite surprised by the smile, considering her earlier remarks, but decided to just let it go. He was hoping Blaine's parents would like him.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

The drive to Dromana was picturesque. It was summer in the southern hemisphere and Kurt couldn't get his head straight about it – it just seemed so strange to him. Blaine noticed his silence and pulled him closer, letting Kurt lay his head on his shoulder.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"I was just trying to make myself believe it's Christmas time in spite of no snow," he told his boyfriend. "It does seem strange to me – but then, snow on Christmas probably sounds strange to you."

"No – I've lived in enough places that nothing like that is strange to me anymore. I'm fine with any weather. I was thinking you might be missing your dad," Blaine said, knowing how close Kurt and his father were.

"I've never had a Christmas without him," Kurt said, sounding sad.

"You can call him. That might make you feel a bit better?" Blaine asked, stroking his fingers down Kurt's cheek. There were no tears to wipe away, but he did sound so forlorn that Blaine wanted to make it all better.

"Yeah, I will call him. On the other hand, your whole family is going to be together!" Kurt smiled.

"For the first time in...ah...six years. Yeah, I hope it turns out to be as special as I'm imagining," Blaine said, hope in his voice.

"Will all the guys fit in their apartment?" Kurt asked. Blaine giggled.

"Oh, yeah. I am fairly sure they will – and about half of Dalton, too. Let's just say -it's a big apartment."

"Do your parents live in Dromana, too?"

"No, they live in Melbourne. We lived in an apartment in Eureka Towers. You'll love it. Are you scared of heights?"

"No...not that I know of. Why?" Kurt asked.

"You'll see..." Blaine answered with a smirk on his face. No matter how much Kurt tried to get the story out of him, Blaine would not budge.

As the boys talked, they kind of forgot the two people riding in the front seat of the car and let their language slip.

"I'm glad we're spending our first Christmas together, baby," Blaine said, kissing Kurt's cheek. Kurt leaned his head on Blaine's chest, snuggling into the spot he felt most comfortable, his face buried in Blaine's neck.

When the car rounded a sharp turn, Kurt sat up again. Blaine could just reach the outside of Kurt's neck by leaning forward and he nipped playfully before kissing him gently on the tender flesh. Kurt moaned just a tiny bit, down in his throat but covered it with a sort of fake cough.

"I'm glad, too, my love. I hope never to miss Christmas with you again for the rest of our lives," Kurt cooed back, his whisper a warm breath in Blaine's ear.

Genevieve let her hand over near her husband's and he took it, smiling at her as they drove along the road.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

"Here we are, boys!" Alton announced as he brought the car to a halt.

Blaine sat up. He was cuddled with Kurt in the back seat of the car where they had fallen asleep. He put a hand to Kurt's shoulder and woke him up, too.

Kurt sat up and gazed out the window, startling as he saw Buddy smiling back at him from the grass outside the car. He rubbed his eyes, then looked again – but there was nobody there. It must have been a dream. He wondered how he'd fallen so deeply asleep, then looked up at Blaine and a slow smile crossed his face.

"Hi, baby," he whispered, winking at his boyfriend. Blaine winked back and gave him a hand up.

The boys got out of the car and looked around. Blaine was familiar with the vista of the winery and could really appreciate Kurt's open amazement as he looked a the grape arbors that ran down the hills in straight rows as far as the eye could see. In the far distance was just a slice of the ocean between two hills covered in green. Blaine took Kurt by the shoulders and turned him to the side so he could see the stables. Farther away behind those were the buildings housing the winery.

Kurt turned a bit further, facing away from Blaine now, and saw the house. It was made of gray stones with a wide wrap-around porch and gardens in bloom all around the house and the paths.

"This is so beautiful, Mr and Mrs Darling! It's like a fairy tale come to life," Kurt said, his eyes looking everywhere at once.

"Thank you, Kurt dear. How nice of you to say. We do find it comfortable," Genevieve said, "I hope you find it comforting, too."

"I know I will, thank you for inviting me," Kurt said politely, smiling at the woman with soft gray hair pinned up in a bun on her head. She smiled back, a gold tooth gleaming in her mouth.

Blaine took Kurt's hand.

"Is it okay for me to show him around?" Blaine asked, a big smile on his face.

"Of course, Bee. We were planning a picnic of sorts out under the red eucalyptus trees. Can you be back in about an hour?" Genevieve asked, gazing at Blaine.

"Yes, ma'am. I think I'll take him down to the lower vineyard, then over and back by the south trail. That should bring us back here right on time," Blaine calculated, then took Kurt's hand.

"Have fun, boys," Alton said and waved as they walked towards the grape vines.

"There sure are a lot of grapes," Kurt said, looking around himself. The weather was so nice, warm with an salt-smelling breeze. "Are we close to the ocean?"

"Yes, it's just over those hills at the end of this vineyard. We're going that way, so we'll pass by the best view," Blaine assured him.

They strolled along a path between the uniformly growing vines, each attached to the framework behind it to keep them growing properly. Kurt was in awe of them, looking around it seemed there were enough grape vines to reach half across Melbourne. He commented on that and Blaine laughed.

"Actually, this is a fairly small winery. Since it's family owned, there can only be enough planted that we can tend. The company-owned wineries are much larger. Grandpa grows three kind of grapes here, and they make four wines from them. Later we can go into the buildings and they'll let us taste some of the different kinds."

"Oh, that sounds like fun," Kurt said, looking forward to learning something new. "So, since this is family run, do they expect you to come back when you get out of school?"

"I don't think so. Neither Cooper or I were very interested in living here or running it. My cousins that live near here will probably inherit it, which is fine with me. My uncles have been working here since they were little kids, and now their kids work here. You'll meet them – probably at lunch."

"Oh, more people? I'm glad to meet anyone that you're related to – are they as cute as you?" Kurt giggled.

"No, I get most of my looks from dad's side of the family – not so much from my mom. They all have straight blond hair. I got this curly mess straight from Dad," Blaine said, running his hands through the unruly curls and inadvertently causing them to fluff up even more. Kurt grinned, but pulled Blaine close so he could coax the curls into behaving.

"Thank you, baby. I was in such a hurry this morning I forgot to put the gel in my hair," Blaine admitted. Kurt thought it must have been something big for Blaine to forget his gel. He smirked, looking at his boyfriend. Blaine could see the hidden smile and scowled at Kurt.

"No teasing, baby, or I'll leave you alone in the maze and you'll never find your way out."

"What maze?" Kurt asked.

"Oh, darn it. Me and my big mouth. It was supposed to be a surprise. I'm taking you to The Enchanted Adventure Garden tomorrow," Blaine said, clearly irritated with himself. He had meant it to be a Christmas present.

"Oh? What's that?" Kurt's eyes sparkled. It sounded like a wonderful place to go.

"You, my dear, will see it tomorrow," Blaine said, placing a soft kiss on Kurt's lips as they stopped in the middle of the vines.

Walking around the vineyard, Kurt got the feel of the place, as if it had been there for a thousand years. It just felt old, but still alive. He had only gotten that same feeling when he visited the redwoods in California.

"You look like you have a million thoughts in that head of yours, my love. What's going on up there?" Blaine asked as they walked quietly between the vines. They were full of big leaves which blocked the sights and sounds of the vineyard around them. It was like being in a private, enclosed space away from other people, isolated but not in a negative way, it also felt alive in every sense of the word.

"Blaine? Do you feel it, too?" Kurt asked, knowing Blaine would understand what he meant.

"Yes, I do. I always have – I used to come out here when I was depressed from school and the bullies. I felt brave here, somehow protected? I don't know how to describe it. I never brought anyone here, Kurt. It is so private to me, as if it's a part of me. As if the grapes can feel that I belong here, you know?"

"But you told me you didn't want the winery? How could you turn it down when it gives you that feeling of belonging?" Kurt asked, confused.

"It's...well, I do feel that way here, but I don't feel as if the wine is in my blood. I can feel good here, but I wouldn't lose any of that if my cousins owned it. They would have no problem with me coming to visit and I could walk out here any time I liked," Blaine tried to explain.

"Yeah, I get it. What do you want to do with your life then? Have you given thought about your future?"

"Yeah, I think about it all the time. I try on different occupations in my head, like trying on hats to see which one fits the best. I haven't come to any conclusions, though. Not yet. I have plenty of time to decide, right?" Blaine asked, his eyebrows climbing up his forehead in such a sweet way, Kurt was distracted for a moment as he looked at Blaine.

"Yeah, I guess we do...or not? We are a semester away from graduation, Bee. Haven't you given anything a serious look-over? College time will be here before you know it," Kurt reminded him.

Blaine just lowered his shoulders in defeat. He wasn't sure how he could bring up the subject of him moving to New York, he knew Kurt wanted to go to college there, so Blaine had planned to move there, too.

"I'm going to run ahead, Kurt. Catch me if you can!" Blaine shouted before dodging into a group of vines and then off down the rows, Kurt in hot pursuit. The question of college left far behind - at least for now.

"Blaine?" Kurt called, not sure if it was allowed to shout in this place that was half-sacred to Blaine. He leaned over, hands on his knees as he caught his breath. He studied the dirt path, seeing so many footprints in the damp ground and wondering if he could pick out Blaine's from all the rest.

As Kurt looked down, Blaine sneaked up behind him, swatting him on his butt and took off again in the other direction. This time Kurt paid closer attention and caught up to him, neatly tackling Blaine in a the middle of an intersection of paths.

"Oooffff!" Blaine huffed as he landed on his hip with Kurt on top of him. He turned, cat-like, as he fell and Kurt found himself wrapped in Blaine's arms on the ground.

"Mmmmm..." Kurt hummed as Blaine kissed him. The kiss went from gentle and soft to more urgent before Kurt struggled out of Blaine's arms and was up and gone down a different row of uniform grapevines. He was careful not to step on any plants, worried about squashing any of the good-smelling fruit.

"Kurt!" Blaine called, looking around to see if he could determine any plants moving to indicate where his boyfriend had fled. He stood stock still for a moment, listening, then sprinted off in the direction of some heavy breathing to the south. He pulled up short, having lost the sound and was looking around when he was tripped from behind, once more landing with Kurt on top of him. This time instead of kisses, Kurt was administering tickles and Blaine writhed on the ground underneath him, struggling to stop giggling and get some revenge. Kurt was up and running away once again...

They ended up chasing each other through half the maze of vines towards the South Path - until Blaine fell and broke a branch on one vine. He got very upset with himself, knowing he was in trouble once again for rough-housing in the vineyard.

He began thinking he should go see if Kurt was doing okay - he hadn't heard the boy stop, so he was probably still working his way away from Blaine.

"Kurt, come back," he called and was startled when he saw Kurt had doubled back and was standing behind him.

"You okay, Bee?"

"I'm fine, but I broke a branch on one of the vines. I need to go tell someone – I feel awful about it," Blaine said, taking Kurt's offered hand and walking towards a truck parked at the end of a neighboring row.

"Blaine!" a girl shouted, jumping off the truck and swinging Blaine around in a circle.

"Hi, Ronnie, how are you?" he asked, hugging the girl close to his chest and kissing her cheek loudly.

"Fine now that you're here. I was beginning to think you were never coming back to Dromana," she said, holding him at arms' length to get a good look at him. "Now, who do we have here?"

"This is Kurt Hummel, my boyfriend," Blaine grinned, putting an arm around Kurt to pull him close. "Kurt, this is my cousin, Veronica Darling."

"Pleased to meet you," Kurt said, smiling. He had felt a tingle of jealousy run down his back to his stomach when the girl and Blaine were hugging. He should have known this was a relative – Blaine had told him they were running the winery.

"Lucky Blaine!" she crowed and hugged Kurt – who froze, never having had a girl hug him like this since he and Mercedes were friends back in 7th grade. "Good to meet you, Kurt."

Blaine lowered his head, looking very guilty – like a whipped pup.

"Ronnie, I was running through the rows and chasing Kurt and...well, I tripped," Blaine confessed.

"You broke a branch," Veronica said, looking sternly at her younger cousin.

"Yeah."

"You know what Grandma Genevieve would do?"

"Yeah. I can cut it and make it okay – no need to worry her, right?" Blaine asked like a little boy.

"What?" Kurt asked, now curious seeing Blaine acting so out of character.

"She would take the broken vine and switch him with it," Veronica told Kurt. "I'm surprised he doesn't have scars after the summers he spent here, he always broke a vine and she always switched him. He never learned, apparently," the girl explained with a small grin on her face. She tried to wipe it off, but it just kept coming back.

"Hey, I never got switched as often as Cooper and you know it," Blaine said, looking haughty. Ronnie bent over in a belly laugh.

"Please tell me he came with you – right?" she asked.

"Yes, he's one of the chaperons of our show choir. He's back in Melbourne with them until the competition on Saturday, but you know he'll come see you before we go back to Ohio."

"He better!" Veronica grinned. "We need to head up to the main house for the picnic – want a ride in the truck?"

"Nah, but thank you. I want to show Kurt the South Path by the ocean. We'll be there in time for the food – I can smell the pork cooking from here," Blaine grinned. He gave his cousin another warm hug and took Kurt's hand to show him the path. Veronica got a cute smile on her face, her eyes dancing as she looked at her younger cousin.

"Ah, well – don't let me get in the way of romance. I'll check that broken vine and see you in a little while."

"It was good to meet you," Kurt said, minding his manners. He knew he was going to like Ronnie a lot.

"You, too, Kurt. Take good care of my baby cuz, he tends to need watching over, but you probably already knew that, eh?" she said.

Kurt laughed.

They parted ways, Kurt following Blaine back into the vines along a crushed seashell path that led to the back of the vineyard and around a hill before turning back to the house. The air smelled more and more like the salty sea and Kurt's eyes were full of the beautiful view of this arm of water as they walked around the hill.

"Is that the ocean?" Kurt asked, looking out across the azure blue water. They were up on a hill and the water was shining in the sunlight at the base of the land. It was about a quarter mile to the beach, but it felt closer.

"Well, not really. That is Port Phillip Bay, the harbor. It's sheltered from the ocean here, but that's where the water comes from," Blaine explained, sweeping his hand to the northwest, towards the water.

"Oh...it's beautiful here," Kurt said in awe.

"Just to give you some bearings, Tasmania is to the south of us. You can't see it from here, but it lies about 350 miles to the south," Blaine informed him.

"I wanted to visit there when I was a kid! I dreamed about the lemurs and finding my own Tasmanian devil," Kurt gushed, his eyes bright as he remembered his childhood dream. Blaine watched him, delighted at the sudden animation in his face.

"I've been a few times. Cooper and I went with some of the cousins to the wildlife preserve. We got to see baby Taz devils – they are sooo cute. Not as cute as baby wombats, but close. I wish we had time to go over and see them."

"We won't? I thought we weren't headed home until the day after Christmas?" Kurt asked.

"Yes, but Cooper and I planned some other things we thought you'd like."

Kurt grinned, knowing they were probably great things knowing the Anderson brothers.

The two took hands and walked towards the house, swinging their arms and singing Christmas carols. Coming around a bend, they saw the picnic set out under the huge red eucalyptus trees. Blaine squeezed Kurt's hand and pulled him along, anxious to introduce him to his extended family.


End file.
